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BENEATH THE SEA 


A STORY 

OF THE CORNISH COAST 



GEORGE MANVILLE FENN 

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NEW YORK: 46 East 14th Street 
THOMAS Y. CROWELL & COMPANY 
BOSTON: 100 Purchase Street 


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Copyright, 1896 

By Thomas Y. Crowell & Company 


PRESS OF 

Soffttotn anir CJjurcfciH 
BOSTON, U.S.A. 


CONTENTS 


Chapter Page 


I. 

Bass for Breakfast 

• 





1 

II. 

A Deep Investigation 

. 





7 

III. 

At Agony Point 






19 

IV. 

A Strange Cry 






27 

V. 

Fishing for a Boy . 






34 

VI. 

At an Awkward Corner 






43 

VII. 

Sam Hardock’s Opinion . 






50 

VIII. 

The Mine Fever 






59 

IX. 

Doctor Joe 






67 

X. 

Finding an Intruder 






75 

XI. 

Fighting the Enemy 






83 

XII. 

The Major has Strange Symptoms 




90 

XIII. 

The Compact Sealed 






97 

XIV. 

A Suspicion of Evil 






107 

XV. 

In the Engine-house 






113 

XVI. 

An Attack of Nerves 






119 

XVII. 

Gwyn shows his Mettle 






129 

XVIII. 

An Ignominious Ascent . 






144 

XIX. 

A Brutal Thrust 






153 

XX. 

A Doubtful Acquaintance 






158 

XXI. 

Sam Hardock Disapproves 






173 

XXII. 

A Mental Kink 






179 

XXIII. 

Grip takes an Interest . 






190 

XXIV. 

Anxious Times . 






199 

XXV. 

True to the Core . 






205 


IV 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter 

XXVI. 

To the Bitter End . 






Page 

217 

XXVII. 

Reversal of Position 






221 

XXVIII. 

Down in the Depths 






230 

XXIX. 

The Position Darkens 






237 

XXX. 

In Darkness 






244 

XXXI. 

Gwyn Gives It Up 






251 

XXXII. 

A Novel Nightmare . 






256 

XXXIII. 

Man’s Good Friend . 






265 

XXXIV. 

Too Eager by Half . 






273 

XXXV. 

The Help at Last 






278 

XXXVI. 

Grip’s Antipathy 






285 

XXXVII. 

Gwyn’s Error 






292 

XXXVIII. 

Sam Hardock brings News 





300 

XXXIX. 

Grip’s Bad Luck 






310 

XL. 

A Bit of Surgery 






316 

XLI. 

A Man’s Mystery 






322 

XLII. 

Mining Matters . 






327 

XLIII. 

After a Lapse 






336 

XLIV. 

Tom Dinass shows his Teeth 





343 

XLV. 

Crystal, but not Clear 






349 

XLVI. 

A Dog’s Opinion 






355 

XLVII. 

For Life . . . 






363 

XL VIII. 

In Dire Peril 






376 

XLIX. 

Sam Hardock strikes his 

Colors 




387 

L. 

News from Grass 






395 

LI. 

In the Light 






406 

LII. 

The General Wind-up 






412 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


CHAPTER I. 

BASS FOR BREAKFAST. 

“ Have some more bass, Gwyn ? ” 

“Please, father,” said the boy. 

“You should not speak with your mouth full, my 
dear,” said Mrs. Pendarve quietly. 

“No, mother; but I didn’t like to keep father wait- 
ing.” 

“ And between the two stools you came to the 
ground, eh?” said Colonel Pendarve, smiling. “Never 
mind — hold your plate. Lucky for us, my dear, that 
we have only one boy. This fellow eats enough for 
three.” 

“Well — but — father, we were down, by the boat at 
daybreak, and the sea air makes one so hungry.” 

“ Say ravenous or wolfish, my boy. But go on. It 
certainly is a delicious fish, and Dolly has cooked it to 
a turn. They were rising fairly then?” 

“Yes, father; we rowed right out to the race of the 
point, and for ever so long we did n't see a fish, and sat 
there with our rods ready.” 


2 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


Gwyn talked away, but with his mouth rather full of 
fried bass and freshly baked bread, all the same. 

“ And of course it was of no use to try till a shoal 
began to feed?” 

“Not a bit, father ; and Joe said we might as well 
come back; but when the sun rose they were rising 
all round us, and for half an hour we kept hooking 
them at nearly every throw. Come and see the rest 
of my catch ; they ’re such beauties — as bright as 
salmon.” 

“ That ’s right, but don’t let any of them be wasted. 
Keep what you want, mamma dear, and give the others 
away. — What did you use, a big fly ? ” 

“No, father, those tiny spoon-baits. They came at 
them with a rush. Then they left off biting all at once, 
and — some more coffee, please, mother — and we rowed 
back home, and met Captain Hardock on the pier.” 

“ Ah, did you ? ” 

“ Yes, father, and we gave him two pairs of fine ones, 
and he said they looked as bright as newly run tin.” 

“ Humph! Yes, that man thinks of nothing else but 
tin.” 

“ And he began about it again this morning, father,” 
said Gwyn eagerly. 

“ Indeed ! ” said Colonel Pendarve ; and Gwyn’s 
mother looked up inquiringly from behind the silver 
coffee-urn. 

“ Yes, father,” said Gwyn, helping himself to more 
fresh yellow Cornish butter and honey. “ He said what 
a pity it was that you did not adventure over the old 
Ydoll Mine and make yourself a rich man, instead of 
letting it lie wasting on your estate.” 


BASS FOR BREAKFAST. 


3 


“ My estate ! ” said the colonel, smiling at his wife. 
“ A few score acres of moorland and rack on the Cornish 
coast.” 

“ But he says, father, he is sure that the old mine is 
very rich.” 

“ And that I am very poor, Gwyn, and that it would 
be nice for me to make a place for a mining captain out 
of work.” 

“ But you will not attempt anything of the kind ? ” 
said Mrs. Pendarve anxiously. 

“I don’t think so, my dear. We have no money to 
spare for speculating, and I don’t think an old Indian 
cavalry officer on half pay is quite the man to attempt 
such a thing.” 

“ But old Hardock said you were, father, and that you 
and Major Jollivet ought to form a little company of 
your own, and that he knows he could make the mine 
pay wonderfully.” 

“Yes,” said the colonel dryly, “ that ’s exactly what 
he would say ; but I don’t think much of his judgment. 
I should be bad enough, but the major, with his old 
wound breaking out when he is not down with touches 
of his old jungle-fever, would be ten times worse. All 
the same, though, I have no doubt that the old mine is 
rich.” 

“But, Arthur,” protested Mrs. Pendarve, “think of 
how much money has been ” — 

“Thrown down mines, my dear?” said the colonel, 
smiling. “Yes, I do; and I don’t think our peaceful, 
retired life is going to be disturbed by anything a min- 
ing adventurer may say.” 

“ But it would be interesting, father,” said Gwyn. 


4 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“Very, my boy,” said his father, smiling. “It would 
give you and Joe Jollivet ” — 

“Old Joe Jolly wet,” said Gwyn to himself. 

“ — a fine opportunity for trying to break your necks.” 

“ Oh, dear ! ” cried Mrs. Pendarve. 

“ Getting drowned in some unfathomable hole full of 
water.” 

“ Arthur ! ” protested Mrs. Pendarve. 

“ Losing yourselves in some of the mazy recesses of 
the ancient workings ” — 

“Really,” began Mrs. Pendarve; but the colonel 
went on: 

“ — Or getting crushed to death by some fall of the 
mine-roofing that has been tottering ready to fall per- 
haps for hundreds of years ” — 

“ Pray don’t talk like that,” said Mrs. Pendarve 
piteously. 

“ He does n’t mean it, mother,” said Gwyn, laughing. 
“ Father’s only saying it to frighten me. I say, father, 
though, do you think the mine is so very old ? ” 

“ 1 have no doubt of it, my boy. It is certainly as old 
as the Roman occupation, and I should not be surprised 
if it proved to be as early as the time when the Phoeni- 
cians traded here for tin.” 

“ But I thought it was only stream tin that they got, 
father. I read it somewhere.” 

“No doubt, my boy, they searched the surface tin; 
but suppose you had been a sturdy fellow from Tyre or 
Sidon instead of a tiresome, idle, mischievous young nui- 
sance of an English boy.” 

“Not quite so bad as that, am I, mother?” said Gwyn, 
laughing. 


BASS FOR BREAKFAST. 


5 


“That you are not,” said Mrs. Pendarve, “though 
I must own that you do worry me a great deal some- 
times by being so daring with your boating, climbing, 
and swimming.” 

“ Oh, but I do take care, mother, I do really,” said 
Gwyn, reaching out to lay his hand upon his mother’s arm. 

“ Yes, just as much as any other thoughtless, reckless 
young dog would,” grumbled the colonel. “ I ’m always 
expecting to have one of the fishermen or miners come 
here with a head or an arm or a leg, and say he picked 
it up somewhere, and does it belong to my son.” 

“ Really, Arthur, you are too bad,” began Mrs. Pen- 
darve. 

“ He ’s only teasing you, ma,” cried Gwyn, laughing. 
“ But I say, father, what were you going to say about 
my being a Tyre and Sidonian ? ” 

“ Eh ? Oh ! — that if you found tin in some gully on 
the surface, would n’t you dig down to find it where it 
was richer?” 

“ Can’t dig through granite,” said Gwyn. 

“ Well, chip out the stone and by degrees form a deep 
mine ? ” 

“Yes, I suppose I should, father.” 

“ Of course it ’s impossible to prove how old the mine 
is, but it is in all probability very ancient.” 

“ But it’s only a deep hole, is it, father?” 

“ I cannot say. I never heard of its being explored, 
but there it is.” 

“ 1 ’ve explored it sometimes by sending a big stone 
down, so as to hear it rumble and echo.” 

“Yes, and I daresay hundreds of mischievous boys 
before you have done the same.” 


6 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


“ Why was it called the Ydoll Mine, father ? ” 

“ I cannot say, Gwyn. Some old Celtic name, or a 
corruption. It has always been called so, as far as I 
could trace when I bought the place ; and there it is, and 
there let it remain in peace.” 

“If you please,” said Mrs. Pendarve. “ Will you have 
some more coffee and bread and butter, Gwyn?” 

The boy shook his head, for there are limits even to a 
seaside appetite. 

“Wonderful ! ” said the colonel. 

“What is?” said Mrs. Pendarve. 

“ Gwyn has had enough for once: Oh, and by the 
way, I have had quite enough of that dog. If ever 1 find 
him scratching and tearing my garden about again I ’ll 
pepper him with small shot.” 

The boy smiled and looked at his mother. 

“ Oh, you may laugh, sir, at your foolish, indulgent 
father. I don’t know what I could have been about 
to let you keep him. What do you want with a great 
collie?” 

“ He ’s such a companion, father ; and see how clever 
he is after rabbits.” 

“ Matter of opinion,” said the colonel. “ I don’t 
suppose the rabbits think so. Well, mind this: I will 
not have him tearing about among my young fruit- 
trees.” 


A DEEP INVESTIGATION. 


7 


CHAPTER II. 

A DEEP INVESTIGATION. 

Breakfast ended, Gwyn went straight off to the 
yard with half a fish and some bread, but before he 
came in sight there was the rattle of a chain, a burst of 
barking, and a handsome collie dog, with long silky ears 
and a magnificent frill of thick hair about his neck, 
stood up on his hind legs at the full extent of the chain, 
and tried hard to strangle himself with his collar. 

Then there was a burst of frantic yelps and whines, 
a kind of dance was performed as the boy approached 
with the dog’s breakfast, and then there was peace over 
the devouring of the bread, which was eaten in bits 
thrown at him from a couple of yards away, and caught 
without fail. 

After this performance the fish was placed in a pan, 
and as the dog bent down to eat, Gwyn pulled his ears, 
thumped his back, sat astride it, and talked to the 
animal. 

“You’re going to be shot at if you go in the garden 
again, Grip ; so look out, old chap. Do you hear ? ” 

The dog was too busy over the fish, but wagged his tail. 

“ I ’m to keep you chained up more, but we ’ll have 
some games over the moor yet. Rabbits ! ” 

The fish was forgotten, and the dog threw up his 
head and barked. 


8 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ There, go on with your breakfast, stupid. I ’m off.” 

“ How-ow ! ” whined the dog dismally ; and he kept 
it up, straining at his chain till the boy was out of sight, 
when the animal stood with an ear cocked up and his 
head on one side, listening intently till the steps died 
out, before resuming his breakfast of fish. 

Gwyn was off back to the house, where he fetched 
his basket from the larder and carried it into the hall. 

“ Here — father — mother — come and have a look,” 
he cried; and upon their joining him, he began to 
spread out his catch so as to have an exhibition of the 
silvery bass — the brilliant salmon-shaped fish, whose 
sharp back fins proved to a certainty that they were a 
kind of sea perch. 

They were duly examined and praised, and when 
they had been divided into presents for their neighbors 
in the little Cornish fishing-port, the colonel, who had, 
after long and arduous service in the East, hung up his 
sword to take to spade and trowel, went off to see to 
his nectarines, peaches, pears, grapes, and figs in his 
well-walled garden, which faced the south and ran down 
to the rocky shores of the safe inlet of Ydoll Brae. His 
son Gwyn followed to help — so it was called ! 

The boy, a sturdy, frank-looking lad, helped his father 
a great deal in the garden, but not after the ordinary 
working-fashion. That fell to the lot of Ebenezer 
Gelch, a one-eyed Cornishman who was strangely im- 
bued with the belief that he was the finest gardener in 
the west of England, and held up his head very high 
in consequence. Gwyn helped his father as he did that 
morning, by following him out into the sunny slope and 
keeping close behind. 


A DEEP INVESTIGATION. 


9 


The colonel stopped before a carefully trained tree, 
where the great pears hung down' from a trellis erected 
against the hot granite rock, and stood admiring them. 

“Nearly ripe, father?” asked Gwyn. 

“No, my boy, not nearly,” said the colonel, softly 
raising one in his hand. “ They may hang nearly a 
month yet. We shall beat the Jersey folk this year.” 

“Yes, father,” said Gwyn; and he followed to where 
the colonel stopped before a peach tree and stooped 
to pick up a downy, red-cheeked fellow which had fallen 
during the night. 

“Not ripe, Gwyn, but it’s a very fine one,” said the 
colonel. 

“Yes, father, a beauty. Shall I take it in?” 

“No, not good enough. Eat it, my boy.” 

Gwyn did not need any farther telling, and the peach 
disappeared, the stone being sent flying into the sea. 

A little farther on a golden, tawny Jefferson plum 
was taken from a tree, for the wasps had carved a little 
hole in the side, and this was handed to the boy and 
eaten. A nectarine which had begun to shrink came 
next, and from the hottest corner of the garden a good- 
tempered-looking fig, which seemed to have opened a 
laughing mouth as if full and rejoicing in its ripeness. 
After this a rosy apple or two and several Bon Chretien 
pears, richly yellow, were picked up and transferred to 
the boy’s pocket, and the garden was made tidy once 
more, evidently to the owner’s satisfaction, and certainly 
to that of his son, who was most diligent in disposing of 
the fruit in this way. 

Then the colonel sauntered into the little sloping 
vinery, where the purple and amber grapes were hang- 


10 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


ing, and Gwyn thrust in his head ; but as there were no 
berries to be eaten and it was very hot, he drew back 
and went up the slope toward the wall at the top, care- 
fully peeling one of the pears with a fishy pocket-knife. 

He was in the act of throwing a long curl of peel 
over the wall when a sun-browned face appeared as if 
on purpose to receive it, and started back. Then there 
was a scrambling noise from the other side as the face 
disappeared very suddenly, and Gwyn burst out laugh- 
ing. 

“ Hurt yourself ? ” he cried. 

There was the sound of scrambling and the face 
reappeared. 

“ What did you do that for ? ” cried the owner of the 
face. 

“ To get rid of the peel, stupid.” 

44 Well, you might have chucked a pear instead.” 

44 All right — catch.” 

A pear was thrown and dexterously caught, and the 
new-comer quickly took a magnificent bite out of it. 

44 Oh ! beauty ! ” he cried ; and then, as he began to 
munch, he glanced down at the pit he had excavated 
with his keen teeth right to the core. 44 Er! Yah!” 
he cried, spitting out the piece. 44 Why, it ’s all mag- 
goty ! ” and he threw the pear back with excellent aim, 
but it was deftly caught and returned in a way that 
would have won praise at cricket. Joe’s aim was excel- 
lent, too; but when a boy is supporting himself by 
resting his elbows on the coping of a high stone-wall, 
he is in no position for fielding either a pear or a ball. 
So the pear struck him full on the front of the straw hat 
he wore, and down he went with a rush, while Gwyn 


A DEEP INVESTIGATION. 


11 


ran to the front of the wall, climbed np quickly, and 
looked over into the lane, laughing boisterously. 

“ Got it that time, J oey,” he cried. 

“ All right, I ’ll serve you out for it. Give us another 
pear.” 

The request was attended to, the fruit being hurled 
down, but it was cleverly caught. 

“ Why, this is maggoty too.” 

“Well, I did n’t put the maggots there; cut the bad 
out. The dropped ones are all like that.” 

“ Go and pick me a fresh one, then.” 

“Not ripe, and father does not like me to pick them. 
That ’s a beauty.” 

“ Humph ! ’T ain’t bad. But, I say, come on.” 

“ What are you going'to do ? ” 

“ Do ? Why, did n’t you say we ’d go and have a good 
look at the old mine ? ” 

“ Oh — ah — so I did ! I forgot.” 

“ Come on, then. Old Hardock made my mouth water 
talking about it as he did this morning.” 

“ But we should want a rope, should n’t we ? ” 

“Yes. Let’s get Jem Trevor to lend us one out of 
his boat.” 

“ All right. I ’ll come round.” 

“ Why not jump down ? ” 

Gwyn gave a sharp look up and down the lane, but no 
one was in sight, and he lightly threw his legs over and 
dropped down beside his companion. 

“ Don’t want any of the boys to see that there ’s a 
way over here,” he said, “ or we shall be having thieves. 
I say, Joe, father ’s been talking about the old mine at 
breakfast.” 


12 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Then you told him what Captain Hardock said. I 
told my father, too.” 

44 What did he say ? ” 

Joe Jollivet laughed. 

44 Well, what are you grinning at? Why don’t you 
speak ? ” 

44 Because you ’re such a peppery chap, and I don’t 
want a row.” 

44 Who ’s going to make a row ? What did the major 
* say?” 

44 Shan’t tell you.” 

44 Who wants you to? It was something disrespectful 
of my father, and he has no business to. My father ’s 
his superior officer.” 

44 That he is n’t. I thought your father was cavalry, 
and my father foot.” 

44 And that makes it worse,” said Gwyn hotly. 44 Cav- 
alry ’s higher than infantry, and a major is n’t so high as 
a colonel. What did he say ? ” 

44 Oh, never mind. Come on.” 

44 1 know what he said ; and it ’s just like the major. 
Just because his wounds come out bad sometimes, he 
thinks he has a right to say what he likes. I believe 
he said my father was a fool.” 

“That he didn’t,” cried Joe sharply ; 44 he said he’d 
be a fool if he put any money in a mine.” 

44 There, I knew it, and it ’s regularly insulting ! ” 
cried Gwyn, with his face flushing and eyes spark- 
ling. 44 1 shall just go and tell Major Jollivet that my 
father ” — 

44 Oh, I say, what a chap you are ! ” cried Joe, wrink- 
ling up his rather plump face. 44 You ’re never happy 


A DEEP INVESTIGATION. 


13 


without you ’re making a row about something. Why 
don’t you punch my head ? ” 

“ I would for two pins.” 

“ There, that ’s more like you. What have I done ? I 
did n’t say it.” 

“ No, but your father did, and it ’s all the same.” 

“ Oh ! is it ? I don’t see that. I could n’t help it.” 

“ Yes, you could. It all came of your chattering. See 
if I go fishing with you again.” 

“Go it!” 

“ I mean to, and I shall walk straight up to Carn 
Maen and tell the major what I think of him. I won’t 
have my father called a fool by a jolly old foobsoldier, 
and so I ’ll tell him.” 

“Yes, do,” said Joe. “He’s got a touch of fever 
this morning and can’t help himself, so now ’s your 
chance. But if you do go and worry him, you ’ve got to 
have it out with me afterwards, and so I tell you.” 

“Oh! have I? You want me to give you another 
good licking?” 

“ I don’t care if you do. I won’t stand still and have 
my father bullied by old Ydoll Gwyn.” 

Gwyn turned upon him fiercely, but the sight of his 
companion’s face calmed his anger on the instant. 

“It’s all right, Joe,” he said. “I like to hear any one 
sticking up for his father — or his mother.” 

“ I have n’t got a mother to stick up for, but my 
father’s ill and weak, and if you” — 

“ Don’t I keep on telling you I ’m not going, you 
stupid old jolly wet un. Come on. Did n’t we two say 
after the last fight, when we shook hands, that we would 
never fight again ? ” 


14 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“Yes. Then why do you begin it?” 

“ Who ’s beginning it ? Get out and let ’s go and have 
a look at the mine. Let ’s stick to what we said — fight 
any of the fisher lads and help each other. Now, then, 
let ’s go on to the old mine and see if we can get down. 
Pst ! here ’s Hardock.” 

For at a corner of the stone-walled lane, the left side 
of which skirted the colonel’s property, extending for 
half a mile along by the sea, — the estate haying been 
bought at a bargain for the simple reason that its many 
acres grew scarcely anything but furze, heather, and rag- 
wort, the rest being bare, storm-weathered granite, — 
they came suddenly upon a dry-looking, brown-faced 
man, with a coil of rope worn across his chest like an 
Alpine guide. 

He was seated on the low wall dotted with pink stone- 
crop and golden and gray lichens, chewing something, 
the brown stain at the corner of his lips suggesting that 
the something was tobacco ; and he turned his head 
slowly toward them, and spoke in a harsh, grating voice 
as they came up : 

“ Going to the old mine ? ” he said. “ I thought you 
would, after what I told you this morning. I ’ll go with 
you.” 

“Did you bring that rope on purpose?” said Gwyn 
quickly. 

“ O’ course, my son. You could n’t look at the gashly 
place without.” 

Gwyn glanced at Joe, and the latter laughed, while 
the mining captain displayed his brown teeth. 

“Right, arn’t it?” he said. “Didn’t tell the colonel 
what I said, I s’pose.” 


A DEEP INVESTIGATION. 


15 


u Yes, I did,” cried Gwyn, “and he as good as said it 
was all nonsense.” 

“Maybe it be and maybe it bain’t,” said the man 
quietly. “You two come along with me and have a 
look. I ’ve brought a hammer with me too, and I say 
let ’s chip off a bit or two of the stuff and see what it ’s 
like. If it ’s good, your father may like to work it. If 
it ’s poor, we shan’t be no worse off than we was before, 
shall we ? ” 

“No, of course not,” said Gwyn; “what do you say, 
Joe, shall we go?” 

“ Of course,” was the reply ; and they trudged on 
together for a few hundred yards, and then climbed 
over the loose stone-wall, and then up a rugged slope 
dotted with gigantic fragments of granite. A stone’s 
throw or so on their left was the edge of the uneven 
cliff, which went down sheer to the sea, and all about 
them the great masses towered up, and their path lay in 
and out among tall rocks wreathed with bramble and 
made difficult with gorse. 

But they were used to such scrambles, and, the mining 
captain leading, they struggled on, with the gulls float- 
ing overhead, starting a cormorant from his perch, and 
sending a couple of red-legged choughs dashing over 
the rough edge to seek refuge among the rocks on the 
face of the cliff. 

It was a glorious morning, the sea of a rich, bright 
blue, and here and there silvery patches told where 
some shoal of fish was playing at the surface or demol- 
ishing fry. 

There was not a house to be seen, and the place was 
wild and chaotic in the extreme ; but no one alluded to 


16 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


its ruggedness, all being intent upon the object of their 
quest, which they soon after came upon in the upper 
part of a deep gully, on one side of which there was a 
rough quadrangular wall of piled-up stones, looking like 
the foundations of a hut fallen to ruin, and here they 
paused. 

“Now, look here,” said the man; “that place don’t 
look anything, but your father, young P endary e, has got 
a fortune in it, and I want to see what it’s like. So 
what do you say to going down with my hammer and 
bringing up a few chips?” 

“ Why don’t you go ? ” said Gwyn. 

“ ’Cause you two could n’t pull me up again. It ’s a 
job for a boy.” 

“ Then let ’s send down Joe Jollivet. He is n’t worth 
much if we lose him.” 

“ Oh, I say,” began the boy in dismay ; but he read 
the twinkle in his companion’s eye and laughed. 

“ I would n’t mind going down. Is the rope strong ? ” 

“Strong?” said the mining captain. “Think I 
should have brought it if it warn’t. Hold a schooner.” 

“ Shall I go down, Gwyn ? ” 

The lad addressed did not answer for a few moments, 
but stood leaning over the rocky wall, gazing down into 
a square pit cut through the stone, the wall having been 
placed there for protection in case four or two legged 
creatures passed that .way. 

“But look here,” said Joe anxiously ; “would it be 
safe?” 

“ Safe, lad ? Do you think I ’d let you go if it 
warn’t? How could I face all your fathers and mothers 
after ? ” 


A DEEP INVESTIGATION. 


17 


“But are you sure you could hold me if I went?” 
said Joe, who began to look anxious. 

“Feel here,” said the man, rolling up his sleeves. 
“ There ’s muscle ! There ’s bone ! That ’s something 
like a man’s arm, arn’t it ? Hold you ? Half a dozen 
on you. Man, either.” 

Joe drew a deep sigh. 

“ I ’ll go,” he said. 

“No, you won’t,” cried Gwyn fiercely; “it’s my 
father’s place, and I ought to go.” 

“ But I would n’t mind, Ydoll,” said Joe excitedly. 

“I know that, but I ’ll go first and you help Sam 
Hardock.” 

“ Ay, you help me, my lad. I knew he ’d have the 
pluck to go down.” 

“ You ’re sure of the. rope, Sam ? ” 

“ Sure ? There, don’t you go down if you ’re afraid.” 

“ Who feels afraid ? ” cried Gwyn hotly. “ There, 
how ’s it to be ? Throw the rope down and slide ? ” 

“No, no,” growled the man. 

“ Loop and sit in it ? ” 

“ Nay ; I’m too keerful over you, my lad. But do you 
mean it ? ” 

“Mean it? Yes, of course,” said the boy, flushing. 

“ Then, here you have it. I just make a knot like 
this about your chesty, so as it don’t grow tight and 
can’t slip. That ’s your sort. How ’s that ? ” 

As he spoke he quickly fastened the end of the rope 
about the boy’s breast, tested the knot, and then lifted 
Gwyn by it. 

“Now, if you stick the hammer in your waistband, 
and have hold of the rope above your head with one 


18 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


hand to ease the strain, you ’ll go down like a cork, and 
easily keep yourself clear of the side.” 

“Mind and don’t turn and roast, Ydoll,” cried Joe; 
“but you ’d better let me go.” 

“Next time. Ready,” said Gwyn. 

“Ay.” 

“ Then over I go.” 

As if fearing to hesitate, the boy got over the low 
wall and stood on the narrow edge of the old, crumbling, 
fern-hung shaft, and the next moment he was being 
lowered down, Joe turning a little faint from excitement 
as the upturned face disappeared and he watched the 
rope glide through the man’s bony hands. 

“ How far are you going to let him down ? ” he said 
anxiously. 

“Far as he likes, my lad. Till he comes to paying 
ore. You see that the rings o’ rope run clear, and keep 
it right for me to run out. He ’s tidy heavy for such a 
little un, though.” 

Joe seized the coil and made the rope run free, keep- 
ing spasmodically a tight hold of it the while, in case 
the man should let it slip. 

And so some sixty feet were allowed to run out, with 
Gwyn keeping on cheerily shouting “ All right ” from 
time to time. 

It was instantaneous. 

Suddenly the mining captain started back and blun- 
dered against Joe, completely knocking him over, a 
wild shriek arose from the old shaft, sounding hollow, 
awful, and strange, and the rope, which had either 
parted or come undone from the boy’s chest, was swing- 
ing slackly to and fro in the great black pit. 


AT AGONY POINT . 


19 


CHAPTER III. 

AT AGONY POINT. 


Plosh ! 

There is no combination of letters that will more 
clearly express the horrible, echoing, hollow sound which, 
after what seemed to be a long interval, but was almost 
instantaneous, rose out of the ancient shaft, followed 
by strange and sickening splashings and a faint panting 
noise. 

Then all was still, and Joe and the mining captain, 
who had been absolutely paralyzed for the time being, 
stood gazing wildly in each other’s faces. 

That too was almost momentary, and with a despair- 
ing cry Joe Jollivet dashed at the low wall and began 
to climb over it, dislodging one of the stones, which fell 
inward and then plunged down into the pit just as 
Hardock seized the boy by the waist to drag him back. 

“ What are you going to do ? ” roared the man, and 
the splash and roar of the fallen stone also came rushing 
out of the mouth. 

“ Do ? ” cried Joe hysterically; “try and save him.” 

“ But you can’t do it that way, boy,” panted the man, 
whose voice sounded as if he had been running till he 
was breathless. 

“ I must ! I must ! ” cried Joe, struggling to get free. 
“ Oh, Gwyn, Gwyn, Gwyn ! ” 


20 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“Hold still, will you ? ” bawled Hardock. “Chuck* 
ing yourself down won’t save him.” 

“ Then let me down by the rope.” 

“Nay, it’s parted once and you’d be drownded too.” 

“ I don’t care, I don’t care,” cried Joe wildly. “ I 
must go down to him. Let go, will you ? ” and he 
struggled fiercely to get free. 

But the man’s strength was double his, and he tore 
the boy from the wall, threw him down on his back, and 
placed a foot on his breast to hold him as he rapidly 
ran out the rest of the rope till only about a yard 
remained, and then he released him. 

“Now, you keep quiet,” he growled. “ You’re mad, 
that ’s what you are.” 

Joe rose to his feet, awed by the man’s manner, and 
grasping now the fact that he was about to take the 
only steps that seemed available to save his companion. 

For Hardock hurried to the other side of the opening, 
where the wall had been built close to the edge and 
there was no space between, so that he could in leaning 
over the wall gaze straight down the shaft. And then 
he began jerking the rope, and as he did so they could 
faintly hear indications of its touching the water far 
below. 

“ I)’ yer hear there ? ” he shouted. “ Lay holt o’ the 
rope. Can’t you see it?” 

As he spoke he jerked the stout line and sent a wave 
along it, making it splash in the water far below ; but 
the faint whispering and smacking sounds were all the 
answer, and Joe burst out with a piteous cry : 

“He ’s drowned ! he ’s drowned ! Or he ’s holding on 
somewhere waiting for me to go down and save him. 


AT AGONY POINT. 


21 


Pull up the rope quick! No, fasten it, and I’ll slide 
down.” 

“Nay, nay, you keep quiet,” growled the man, whose 
face now was of a sickly pallor. “ How ’m I to hear 
what he says if you keep on making that row ! ” 

“What — he says?” faltered Joe.- “Then you can 
hear him shout?” 

“You be quiet. Ahoy! below there! Ketch hold o’ 
the rope. None o’ your games to frighten us. I know ! 
Now then ketch holt and make it fast round yer.” 

Joe stood there with his face ghastly and his eyes 
starting, as, with his hands behind his ears, he strained 
to catch the faintest sound which came up as through a 
great whispering-tube ; but all he could hear was the 
splashing of the rope and a deep, low, musical dripping 
sound of falling water. 

“ D’ yer hear there ! ” roared Hardock, now savagely. 
“It arn’t right of yer, youngster. Shout something to 
let ’s know where yer are.” 

“ He ’s dead, he ’s dead ! ” wailed Joe. “ Let me go 
down and try and get him out.” 

“Will you be quiet?” roared the man fiercely. 
“ D’ yer want to stop me when I ’m trying to save him ? ” 

“No, no, I want to help.” 

“Then be quiet. You only muddles me and stops 
me from thinking what ’s best to do. Below there ! 
Pendarve, ahoy ! Ketch holt o’ the rope, I tell yer ! ” 

But he called in vain. There was no reply; and 
though he agitated the rope again and again, there was 
no other sound. 

“ There, now, let me go down. I must — I will go 
down, Sam.” 


22 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ There ’s a good two hundred feet on it, and it ’s gone 
right down into the water,” growled the man thought- 
fully. “ It ’s him playing tricks with us, arn’t it ? ” 

“Playing tricks! Who’s mad now?” cried Joe. 
“Will you pull up that rope?” 

For answer the man jerked it again and again, then 
pulled up a few fathoms and let them drop again with 
a splash. 

“Now then do you hear that?” he cried. “If yer 
don’t ketch holt we’ll haul it all up and leave yer.” 

“Oh, Sam, Sam, Sam!” cried Joe. “Let me go 
down. Do you hear me ? If you don’t I ’ll jump.” 

“Will you be quiet?” roared the man fiercely. 
“You just stay where you are, or I’ll tie yer neck and 
heels with the rope. Think I want to go back and say 
there ’s two on yer drownded ? Stop where you are.” 

“ But we can’t stand without doing something. Oh, 
Gwyn! Gwyn! How can I go and tell Mrs. Pendarve 
what ’s happened ? ” 

“ And how can I ? ” cried the man angrily. “ What 
d’ yer both mean coming tempting on me to let yer 
down? What’s the colonel going to say to me!” 

“Then you do think he’s drowned?” cried Joe 
piteously. 

“ Who ’s to help thinking he is ! ” said the man gruffly, 
and he wiped the thick perspiration from his brow. 
“ They all did say it was a onlucky mine, but I would n’t 
believe ’em.” 

“ Gwyn ! Gwyn ! Gwyn ! ” shouted Joe as he leaned 
over the wall and gazed down, but there were only 
hollow reverberations in reply. 

“It’s no good, my lad,” said IJardock bitterly. 


AT AGONY POINT. 


23 


44 Who ’d ha’ thought of that rope failing as it did ? 
Good sound rope as it be.” 

“ But you are not going to give up and do nothing ? ” 
cried Joe frantically. 

“What is us to do then? ” said the man, with a groan. 

“ Let me down, I tell you.” 

44 Nay ; it would be too bad. I won’t do that.” 

44 Then go down yourself.” 

“ How ? Can you hold me and haul me up ? That ’s 
madder still. He ’s gone, my lad ; he ’s gone, and we 
can’t do nothing to help him.” 

44 Run, run for help. I ’ll stay here and hold the rope. 
He may be insensible and catch hold of it yet.” 

“ Ay, he may,” said the man meaningly ; “ but folk 
don’t do that sort o’ thing, my lad. Nay; it’s o’ no use 
to struggle over it. He ’s a dead and goner, and you 
and me ’s got to face it.” 

44 Face it ! ” groaned Joe, letting his head go down on 
the top of the wall. 44 Face it ! How can I ever face 
Mrs. Pendarve again ! ” 

44 Ah ! and how can I face the colonel, his father ! I 
can’t do it, my lad. Ydoll Churchtown’s been a happy 
enough home for me, and I ’ye alius made a living in it, 
but it ’s all over now. I must be off at once.” 

44 To get help ? ” cried J oe, raising his ghastly face 
from where it rested upon the weathered stone, and 
looking more ghastly now from the blood which had 
started from a slight cut on his brow. 

44 Nay, I’ve done all I could do here for young Gwyn 
— all as a man can do. I Ve got to take care o’ myself 
now and be off somewheres, for the colonel ’ll put it 
all on to me.” 


24 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Go ! Run away ! ” cried Joe. “ Oh, you would n’t 
be such a coward ! Here, quick ! Try again. Gwyn, 
old chap ! The rope — the rope ! Oh, do try and catch 
hold ! ” he shouted down the pit. 

But there was no reply, and, wild now with frantic 
horror, the boy seized the rope and began to climb down 
the wall. 

“ Ah ! none o’ that ! ” roared Hardock, grasping his 
arms ; and now there was a desperate struggle, one 
which could have only one result — the mastery of the 
boy. For at last Hardock lifted him from the ground, 
threw him on his back amongst the heath, and held 
him down. 

“ It ’s no good to fight, young un,” he said breath- 
lessly. “You’re strong, but my muscles is hardest. I 
don’t say nought again you, though yer did hit me right 
in the mouth with your fist. I like it, for it shows your 
pluck, and that you ’d do anything to try and save your 
mate. Lie still. It ’s of no use, you know. I could hold 
down a couple of yer. There, steady. Can’t yer see I 
should be letting yer go to your death too, my lad, and 
have to hear what the major said as well as the colonel ? 
Not as I should, for I should be off; and then it would 
mean prison, and they ’d say I murdered you both, for 
there would n’t be no witness on my trial but the rope, 
and mebbe they ’d give me that for my share and hang 
me. There, will yer be quiet if I let yer sit up ? ” 

“ Yes, yes,” said the boy, with a groan of despair. 

“ And you see as I can’t do nothing more, and you 
can’t neither.” 

“I — I don’t know, Sam,” groaned the boy, as he lay 
weak and panting on his back in the purple-blossomed 


AT AGONY POINT. 


25 


heath. “ No, no, I can’t see it. I must do something 
to try and save him.” 

“ But you can’t, lad,” said the man bitterly. “ There 
arn’t nothing to be done. It ’s a gashly business, but it 
would n’t make no better of it if I let you chuck your- 
self away too. There, now you ’re getting sensible.” 

Joe lay with his eyes closed in the hot sunshine, glad 
of the darkness to shut out the horror of the scene 
around him, for the bright blue sky with the soft-winged 
gray gulls floating round and round above their heads, 
and the far-spreading silver and sapphire sea, were dom- 
inated by the mouth of the horrible pit from which, with 
strained senses, he kept on expecting to hear the faint 
cries of his companion for help. 

But all was very still save the soft, low hum of the 
bees busily probing the heath bells for honey, in the 
beautiful wild stretch of granite moorland, and the black 
darkness was for the unhappy boy alone. 

For the knowledge was forced upon him that he 
could do no more. He felt that after the first minute 
Gwyn’s position must have been hopeless, and he lay 
there perfectly still now in his despair, when Hardock 
rose slowly and began to haul in the line hand over 
hand, coiling it in rings the while, which rings lay 
there in the hot sunshine, dry enough till quite a hun- 
dred and fifty feet had been drawn in, and then it came 
up dripping wet fully fifty feet more ; the mining cap- 
tain drawing it tightly through his hands to get rid of 
the moisture. 

“Bad job — bad job!” he groaned; “parted close to 
the end — close to the end — close to the end. Well, 
I ’ll be hanged ! ” 


26 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


He began in a low muttering way, quite to himself, 
and ended with a loud ejaculation, which made Joe sit 
up suddenly and stare. 

“ What is it ? ” he cried wildly. “ Hear him ? ” 

“ Hear him ? No, my lad, nor we arn’t likely to. 
But look at that.” 

He held out the wet end of the rope, showing how it 
was neatly bound with copper wire to keep it from fray- 
ing out and unlaying. 

“ Well,” said Joe, “ what is it? ” 

“ Can’t yer see, boy ? ” 

“ The rope’s end? Yes.” 

“ Can’t yer see it arn’t broke ? ” 

“ Yes, of course. Why, it did not part, Sam ! ” cried 
Joe excitedly. 

“Nay, it did not part.” 

“Then it came untied,” cried Joe frantically. “Oh, 
Sam ! ” 


A STRANGE CRY. 


27 


CHAPTER IV. 

A STRANGE CRY. 

“ Here, what ’s the good o’ your shouting at me like 
that, my lad? Think things arn’t bad enough for me 
without that ! ” cried the man, in an ill-used tone. 

“You did not tie it properly.” 

“Yes, I did, lad, so don’t go saying such a word as 
that. I made that rope fast round him quite proper.” 

“No, or it wouldn’t have come untied. And you 
boasted as you did ! Why, you ’ve murdered him. Oh, 
Sam — Sam — Sam ! ” 

“Will you be quiet?” cried the man, who was 
trembling visibly. “ Don’t you turn again me. You were 
in the business too. You helped, my lad, and if I 
murdered him you ‘were as bad as me.” 

“It’s too cruel — too cruel ! ” groaned Joe. 

“ And you turning again me like that ! ” cried 
Hardock. “ You shouldn’t run back from your mate in 
a job, my lad,” said the man excitedly. “I tied him 
up in the reg’lar proper knot, and you calls me a 
murderer. Just what his father would say to me if I 
give him a chance. It ’s a shame ! ” 

O 

“We trusted you, both of us, because you were a 
man, and we thought you knew what was right.” 

“ And so I did know what was right, and did what 
was right. That there rope would n’t have never come 


28 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


undone if he had n’t touched it. He must have got 
fiddling it about and undone it hissen. It warn’t no 
doing o’ mine.” 

“Shame! Oh, you miserable coward!” cried Joe, 
starting to his feet now in his indignant anger. 

“ Mizzable coward ! Oh, come, I like that ! ” cried 
Hardock. “Who’s a coward?” 

“ Why, you are, and you feel your guilt. Look at you 
shivering, and white as you are.” 

“ W ell, arn’t it enough to make any man shiver and 
look white, knowing as that poor lad ’s lying dead at the 
bottom of that big hole ? ” 

Joe groaned and took hold of the rope’s end. 

“ How could he have undone the knot, swinging as he 
was in the air? You know well enough it was not 
properly tied.” 

“ But it was,” cried Hardock indignantly. “ I tied 
it carefully myself, just as I should have done if I ’d 
been going down myself.” 

“Don’t use that knot again then,” said Joe bitterly. 
“I wish, oh, how I wish, you had let me go down 
instead.” 

“What!” cried the man. “Why, you’d ha’ been 
drownded then i’stead o’ he.” 

“ I wish I had been. It would have been better than 
having to go to the colonel’s to tell him. I can’t do 
it ! ” cried the boy passionately. “ I can’t do it ! ” 

“ Then come along o’ me, my lad.” 

“ Where?” 

“ I d’ know. Somewheres where they don’t know 
about it. We can’t stay here and face it. It’s too 
horrid. You can’t face the colonel and his lady. Ah, 


A STRANGE CRY. 


29 


they ’re quite right : the mine is an unlucky one, and I 
wish I ’d never spoke about it, but it seemed a pity for 
such a good working to go to waste. But they all say 
it’s unlucky, and full o’ all kinds o’ wicked, strange 
critters, ghosts and goblins and gashly things that live 
underground to keep people from getting the treasure. 
I used to laugh to myself and say it was all tomfoolery 
and old women’s tales, but it ’s true enough, as I know 
now to my sorrow.” 

“ How do you know?” cried Joe angrily. 

“ By him going. It warn’t he as undid the rope : it 
was one o’ they critters, as a lesson to us not to tempt 
to go down. I see it all clear enough now.” 

“Bah!” cried Joe fiercely. “ Such idiotic nonsense ! 
Let me tie the rope round myself and I ’ll go down and 
try and find him. I don’t believe in all that talk about 
the mine being haunted. I ’ve heard it before.” 

“Course you have, my lad. But let you go down? 
Nay, that I won’t. Poor young Gwyn Pendarve’s 
drownded same as lots of poor fellows as went out 
healthy and strong in their fishing-boats have been 
drownded, and never come back no more. It’s very 
horrid, but it ’s very true. Pie arn’t the first by a long 
chalk, and he won’t be the last by a many. It ’s done 
and it can’t be undone. But it’s a sad job.” 

“Let me go down, Sam,” pleaded Joe, humbly now. 

“Nay, I’m too much of a mizzable coward, my lad. 
I don’t want to leave you and lose you.” 

“ But you would n’t,” cried the boy. “ I should tie 
the knot too tight.” 

“ I don’t know as you could tie a better knot than I 
could, Master Joe Jollivet. And even if you could, you 


30 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


would n’t be able to make my bands feel strong enough 
to hold you.” 

“ I ’m not afraid of that, and he must be brought out.” 

“ I don’t know my lad, I don’t know. If he is to be 
it ’ll want a lot o’ men with long ropes and lanterns to 
courage ’em up ; but it strikes me that when they know 
what’s happened, you won’t find a man in Ydoll Cove 
as will risk going down. They all know about the 
horrors in the mine, and they won’t venter. I did n’t 
believe it, but I do now. There, the rope ’s coiled up, 
and I may as well go.” 

“ To get help ? Yes, go at once,” cried Joe excitedly. 
“ I ’ll stay.” 

“Nay, you won’t, my lad. I’m not going to leave 
you. I don’t want to know afterward as you chucked 
yourself down that hole despairing-like. You ’re going 
away with me.” 

“ I ’m going to stay till help comes to get poor Gwyn 
out.” 

Hardock shook his head. 

“Go and tell them what’s happened.” 

“ I dursent,” said the man, with a shiver. 

“ You go at once.” 

“ What, and tell the colonel his boy ’s dead. That I 
won’t, my lad. He ’d be ready to kill me.” 

“ Go to my father and tell him. He ’ll break the news 
to Colonel Pendarve, and you go on then to the village 
to collect men and ropes.” 

“ They would n’t come.” 

“ Oh, have you no feeling in you at such a time ? ” 
cried Joe. “You are only thinking about yourself. 
You must — you shall — go on. What ’s that ? ” 


A STRANGE CRY. 


31 


The boy started and stood staring wildly at his com- 
panion, for a faintly heard cry reached their ears, and 
Hardock’s face grew mottled, sallow, white, red, and 
brown. 

“Sea bird,” he said at last hoarsely, after they had 
waited for a few moments listening for a repetition of 
the cry. 

“ I never heard a sea bird call like that,” said Joe, in 
a husky whisper. “ It was n’t a gull nor a shag nor a 
curlew.” 

“Nay, it warn’t none o’ they,” said Hardock, in a 
whisper. “ I know all the sea-fowl cries. I thought it 
was one o’ they big black-backed gulls, but it warn’t 
that.” 

“ Can you make out what it was, then ? ” 

“Yes. It was something as we don’t understand 
making joy because some one as it don’t like has been 
drownded.” 

The boy felt too much startled and excited to pause 
and ridicule his companion’s superstitious notions, and 
he took a few steps quickly to the rough square wall, 
from a faint hope that the sound might have come from 
there ; but as he touched the wall, a strong grip was on 
his shoulder. 

“No, you don’t,” growled Hardock. “You keep 
back.” 

“ But that cry ! ” panted Joe. 

“ It did n’t come from there. It was sea way.” 

“ Yes, there it is again! ” 

Sounding more faint and distant, the strange cry 
floated from away to their left, and a strange thrill ran 
through Joe Jollivet as he yielded to the man s hand, 


32 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


and suffered himself to be drawn right away from the 
mouth of the hole. 

“Yes, I heard it,” said Hardock, in a low, tremulous 
voice, and with a look of awe which accorded ill with 
the man’s muscular figure. “ Don’t you know what it 
was?” 

“ No, do you ? Could it be Gwyn calling for help ? ” 

The man nodded his head and spoke in a low, mysteri- 
ous whisper, as if afraid of being overheard. 

“ 1 dunno about calling for help, my lad, but it was 
him.” 

“ But where — where? ” cried Joe wildly. 

“Out yonder. We couldn’t see ’em, but they must 
ha’ come sweeping out of the pit there, and gone right 
off with him like a flock of birds right away out to 
sea.” 

“ Oh, you fool! ” cried Joe. It ’s horrible to listen to 
you great big fishermen and miners, with your old 
women’s tales. If it’s Gwyn calling, he must be some- 
where near, I know. There ’s another shaft somewhere 
and he ’s calling up that. Come and see.” 

“ There arn’t no other shaft, my lad,” said the man 
mysteriously. “It’s what Isay. You’ll know better 
some day, and begin to believe when you ’ve seen and 
heard as much as me. There ’s things and critters about 
these cliffs sometimes of a night, and in a storm, as makes 
your hair stand on end to hear ’em calling to one another. 
Why I ’ve knowed the times when ” — 

“There it is again,” cried Joe excitedly. “Ahoy!” 
he yelled. “ Where are you ? ” 

There was no answer, and the boy stood staring about 
him with every sense strained, listening intently ; but no 


A STRANGE CRY. 


33 


further sound was heard, and the man laid his hand upon 
the boy’s arm. 

“ Come away, lad,” he whispered, “ afore ill comes to 
us. Did n’t you hear ? ” 

“ I heard the cry.” 

“ Nay, I meant that there whispering, roosling noise 
as seemed to come up out o’ the pit. Let ’s go while 
we ’re safe.” 

“Nonsense, what is there to be afraid of? ” cried Joe 
impatiently. “ Listen ! ” 

“ I don’t know what there is to be afraid of, my lad ; 
but there ’s something unked about, and the gashly 
thing’s given me the creeps. Come away.” 

“ Ah, there ! Why, it ’s toward the cliffs. A cry ! ” 
he shouted ; for, very softly, but perfectly distinct, there 
was a peculiar, distant, wailing cry. “It’s all right, 
Sam ! He ’s alive somewhere, and he ’s calling to us 
for help.” 


34 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


CHAPTER V. 

FISHING FOR A BOY. 

Sam Hardock looked at the boy with a mingling of 
horror and pity on his countenance. 

“ What yer talking about ? ” he cried. “ Can’t yer 
understand as it means trouble ? Some one’s delooder- 
ing of yer away, so as you may be drown ded too ! ” 

But Joe Jollivet hardly heard him in his excitement. 
He was convinced that he had heard Gwyn calling for 
aid, and he dashed off in search of his comrade. 

He felt that it was useless, but he stepped back to the 
mouth of the ancient mine and shouted down it once, 
but without response, and then started to climb out of 
the gully in which he stood, mounting laboriously over 
the rugged granite masses which lay about, tangling and 
scratching himself among the brambles, and at last stand- 
ing high up on the slope to gaze round and shout. 

“What’s the good o’ that?” cried Hardock, who was 
following him. “ Come back.” 

For answer Joe gazed round about him, wondering 
whether by any possibility there was another opening 
into the mine, hidden by bramble and heath. He had 
been all over the place with Gwyn scores of times, and 
the walled-in mouth was familiar enough ; and from the 
cliff edge to the mighty blocks piled up here and there, 
he and Gwyn had climbed and crawled, hunting adders 


FISHING FOR A BOY. 


35 


and lizards among the heath, chased rabbits to their 
holes in the few sandy patches, and foraged for sea- 
birds’ eggs on the granite ledges, and by the help of a 
rope over on the face of the cliffs. But never once had 
they come upon any opening save the one down into the 
old mine. 

“But there must be — there must be,” muttered Joe, 
with a feeling of relief ; “ and I ’ve got to find it. It ’s 
blocked up with stones, and the blackberries have grown 
all over it. There! All right! Ahoy! Coming!” 

For the faint halloo came now very distinctly. 

“ Are you a-comin’ back ? ” shouted Hardock. “ Don’t 
stand hollering there in that mad way.” 

“ He ’s here, he ’s here, somewhere ! ” shouted back 
Joe excitedly, and he waved to his companion to come 
on. 

“ Yah ! Stuff ! ” growled Hardock; but he followed up 
the side of the gully, while Joe went on away from the 
sea to where the wall of rock rose up some twenty feet 
and ran around for seventy or eighty. 

Joe came back directly, though, and met Hardock. 

“ Well, where is he ? ” said the latter. 

“ I don’t know,” panted the boy ; “ somewhere under- 
neath. I keep hearing him.” 

“You keep hearing o’ them,” said the man, with a 
look full of the superstition to which he was a victim. 

“ Ahoy ! ” came faintly from behind them. 

“ Now then,” cried Joe excitedly, “ he ’s up there.” 

He turned and ran up toward the wall of rock once 
more, followed more deliberately by Hardock, who hung 
the coil of rope on his shoulder. 

“ Well, where is he ? ” said Hardock, as he reached the 


36 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


spot where Joe was hunting about among the great 
pieces of stone. 

“ I don’t know, but there must be another opening 
here.” 

Hardock shook his head mysteriously. 

“ But you heard him shout ? ” 

“ I heerd a noise,” said the man ; and as he spoke there 
came a querulous chorus from the gulls that were float- 
ing about in the air close to the edges of the cliff. 

“No, no, it was not a gull,” cried Joe. 

“ I did not say it weer,” replied Hardock. “ You can 
think what you like, but I only says — wheer is he ? ” 

“ He must be somewhere here,” cried Joe ; and he 
climbed about in all directions for some time, and only 
gave up when he felt how impossible it was that his 
comrade could be anywhere there. 

u Theer, come on down, my lad,” said Hardock at 
last. “ It ’s impossible for any one to be here. There 
ain’t a hole big enough to hide a rabbit, let alone a 
boy.” 

They descended slowly toward the more level part of 
the slope, toward the cliff edge. Here Joe stopped 
short, for faintly, but perfectly distinct, came the words, 
“ Joe ahoy!” and certainly from behind him. 

“ There, I knew he was up there ! ” cried Joe excit- 
edly. “Come back. I was sure of it.” 

He scrambled back as fast as he could, and Hardock 
followed him frowning and stood looking on while Joe 
searched once more in every possible direction without 
avail. 

“ Ahoy, Gwyn-Y-doll ! ” he shouted through his 
hands. “ Where are you ? ” 


FISHING FOR A BOY. 


37 


There was no reply, and after more searching and 
shouting, and with the man’s superstitious notions begin- 
ning to affect him, he stopped and gazed blankly in his 
face. 

“Well, d’ yer begin to believe me now, my lad?” 
whispered Hardock. * 

“ I can’t help ” — began the lad, and then he burst 
out with an emphatic “No! it’s all nonsense. Gwyn 
must be here. Ahoy, Ydoll! Where are you?” 

His voice died away, and in obedience to an order 
from the man, Joe began to descend the rugged slope 
again towards the green strip which ran along near the 
cliff edge. 

“ It ’s of no use fighting again it, my lad,” said Har- 
dock solemnly. “ They ’re a mocking of you, and you 
might go on hunting all day long and couldn’t find 
nought. Let ’s go — we arn’t safe here.” 

“I won’t go,” cried the boy, “and I won’t believe 
what you think is possible. Gwyn ’s somewhere about 
here. Now think. Where is there that we have n’t 
searched ? ” 

“Nowheres,” whispered Hardock; and in spite of the 
bright sunshine around them he kept on nervously 
glancing here and there. 

“ Why, if you go on like that in the middle of the 
day, Sam,” cried the boy angrily, “ what would you do 
if it was dark ? ” 

“Dark? You don’t know a man in Ydoll Cove as 
would come up here after dark, my lad. It would be 
more than his life was worth, he’d tell you. Why, 
there ’s not only them in the old mine, but the cliffs 
swarm with them things as goes raging about Avhenever 


38 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


there ’s a storm. I never used to believe in them, but I 
do now.” 

“And I don’t,” said Joe, “and you won’t frighten 
me. It ’s poor old Gwyn we heard shouting, and 
there must be an opening somewhere down into the 
mine.” 

“Where is it, then?” whispered the man. “You’ve 
been all over here times enough, and so have I, but I 
never found no hole ’cept the one big one down.” 

“No, I never saw one, but there must be. There ! ” 

For a faint hail came again from the wall of rock be- 
hind them. 

“ Gwyn ahoy ! ” cried Joe as loudly as he could. 

“ Ahoy ! ” came back steadily. 

“Why, it’s an echo,” cried Joe excitedly. “Ahoy! 
Ahoy ! ” 

“ Oy — oy ! ” came back from the wall, and directly 
after, much more faintly, “ Oy — help ! ” 

“Oh, what fools — what idiots ! ” cried Joe excitedly; 
and certain now of where his old comrade was, he went 
quickly down the slope to the cliff edge and looked over, 
down towards where the sea eddied among the fallen 
rocks three hundred feet below, and shouted: 

“ Gwyn, Gwyn ! ” 

His voice seemed lost there, but as he listened there 
came faintly a reply in the one appealing cry : 

“ Help ! ” 

But it was away to his right, where the rocks rose 
up rugged and broken. Where he stood the grass ran 
right to the edge, but there the granite looked as if it 
had been built up with large blocks into a mighty over- 
hanging bastion, which rose up fully fifty feet higher; 


FISHING FOR A BOY. 


89 


and it was evident that Gwyn had worked his way some- 
where out to the cliff-face far below this mass. 

“ Why, there must be an adit,” 1 cried Hardock, in a 
tone full of wonder. “ I never knowed of that.” 

“Yes, and he ’s safe ! he ’s safe ! ” cried Joe; and his 
manliness in his wild excitement all departed, for he 
burst into a fit of hysterical sobbing. 

He mastered his emotion though directly, and shouted, 

“ Hold on — coming ! ” in the hope of being heard. 

He was heard, for faintly from below to their right 
came the former appealing word: 

“ Help ! ” 

“ All right ! ” he yelled. “ Now, Sam, can I get down 
there?” 

“You ’ll get to the bottom afore you know it,” replied 
the man. “No.” 

“ Then you must lower me with the rope.” 

“What, and one o’ my knots?” said the man ma- 
liciously. 

“Oh, don’t talk,” cried Joe, “but come on. We 
must get along to where it ’s right over him, and then 
I ’ll go down. But did you ever see a hole along 
here?” 

“Nay, never.” 

“ Come on.” 

Joe led the way inland and then had to clamber over 
block after block of tumbled-together granite for some 
fifty yards, when he turned to begin mounting to the 
frog-back-like ridge which ran out nearly level to the 
great bastion which overhung the sea. 

It was an awkward climb, not dangerous, but difficult. 


Horizontal shaft driven in from the cliff. 


40 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


His heart was in his work, though ; and, free now from 
superstitious dread, Hardock toiled after him, keeping 
up so that he was at his shoulder when Joe lay down on 
his chest and looked over the edge. 

For a few moments he could see nothing but ledge 
and jutting blocks whitened by the sea birds which here 
brought up their young in peace, for even the reckless 
boys had looked upon it as too hazardous to descend. 
The sea far below was just creamy among the rocks which 
peered above the water and ran out in a reef, causing 
a dangerous race; but though Joe searched the whole 
cliff-face below him for nearly a minute he could see 
nothing, and at l^st he shouted with all his might, and 
had a lesson in the feebleness of the human voice in 
that vast expanse. 

“ Ahoy ! ” 

“ Ahoy ! ” came up from below, as faintly as the cry 
which evoked it. 

“ 1 can’t see him,” said Hardock, shading his eyes as 
he peered down. 

“ No ; he must be under one of the blocks that jut 
out.” 

“ Ay, and all hangs over, or he ’d ha’ climbed up. Now, 
my lad, what ’s to be done ? Will you go down ? ” 

“Yes, of course ; but knot me fast this time, Sam.” 

“ Ay, my lad, 1 will. You trust me.” 

“ I will, Sam,” said the boy calmly. Then he strained 
outwards, put both hands, trumpet fashion, to his lips, 
and shouted : 

“ Ahoy ! Coming down ! Hardock, look ! I can see 
him.” 

“ Eh ? Where ? I can’t see nought.” 


FISHING FOR A BOY. 


41 


44 There, nearly straight under us about half-way 
down. Look ! ” 

44 No, I can’t see him. Can you ? ” 

44 Yes ; only his hand. It ’s like a speck. He ’s wav- 
ing it to us. There, I can just see a bit of his arm 
too.” 

44 1 got it now. Yes, I can see it. He must be at the 
mouth of an adit where they threw out their waste stuff 
to be washed away by the sea.” 

44 Ahoy! Hope!” 

Those two words came up plainly now, and Joe 
answered through his closed hands : 

“ All — right — coming down. Now, Sam, quick. 
Make me fast, and lower me down.” 

44 No ! Rope ! ” came up from below. 

44 Says you arn’t to go down,” cried Hardock excit- 
edly. u And why should yer ? I ’ll drop the rope and 
you can help me haul him up. He ’ll make it fast enough, 
I know.” 

As he spoke the man rose up, threw the ring of rope 
on the rock by his side, let the end free, made a knot in 
it and gave it to Joe to hold, while, after a little exami- 
nation to make sure that it would uncoil easily, he raised 
the ring, stood back a couple of yards, swung the coil to 
and fro horizontally on a level with his left shoulder, and 
then launched it seaward with a vigorous throw, making 
a snatch directly after at the end close to wdiere Joe held 
on with both hands. 

Away went the rope with the rings gracefully uncoil- 
ing and straightening out as the stout hemp writhed 
like some long, thin serpent, opening out more and more 
till far away below them they saw it straighten right 


42 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


out and hang down, swaying to and fro like a 
pendulum. 

“ Not long enough,” cried Joe sadly. 

“ Good two hundred foot, my lad ; nigh upon five and 
thirty fathoms ; p’r’aps he ’ll climb to it. Can you see 
the end?” 

“No — no,” said Joe; “it hangs over beyond that 
block that sticks out.” 

“ And it ’s below that he ’s a-lying, arn’t it? ” 

“ I don’t know — I think so. It’s of no use. I must 
slide down to him. Ah, stop a minute, let ’s give it a 
swing to and fro. Perhaps he can’t see it. Hurrah! 
I ’ve got a bite.” 

“Nay! ” cried Hardock excitedly. 

“ Yes, it ’s all right. Feel.” 

But there was no need, for at that moment there was 
a most unmistakable tug. 


AT AN AWKWARD CORNER. 


43 


CHAPTER VI. 

AT AX AWKWARD CORXER. 

“Hurrah!” yelled Joe, half mad with excitement. 
“ It is long enough and he has got it. He was trying if 
it was safe.” 

“ Hurrah ! ” shouted Hardock hoarsely, for he was as 
excited as the boy. “ Hold tight, my lad ; don’t let him 
pull it out of your hands. But he won’t, for I ’ve got it 
too. Why, it ’sail right, young Jollivet, and the old 
mine-goblins had nothing to do with it, after all. W e ’ll 
soon have him up.” 

“ Yes, we ’ll soon have him up,” cried Joe hysterically ; 
and he burst into a strange laugh. “ I say, how he 
frightened us, though.” 

And in those moments of relief from the tension they 
had felt it seemed like nothing that the lad was two 
hundred feet down the terrible precipice, about to swing 
at the end of the rope which had played him so false but 
a short time before. 

“ He ’s making the rope fast round him, Sam. I can 
feel it quiver and jerk. Shout down to him to be sure 
and tie the knots tight.” 

“ Nay, nay, you let him be. He don’t want no flurry- 
ing. Trust him for that. He knows how to make him- 
self fast.” 


44 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


44 Think so?” said Joe hoarsely, and he felt the hands 
which held the rope grow wet. 

44 Nay, don’t want no thinking, my lad. He ’ll manage 
all right.” 

44 He has,” cried Joe excitedly. 44 Do you feel ? He ’s 
signaling for us to haul him up.” 

For three sharp tugs were given at the rope, which was 
now drawn tight. 

44 Ay, that means all right,” said Hardock. 44 Now you 
hold on tight.” 

44 1 can’t haul him all alone.” 

44 Nay, not you. Nobody wants you to try. I only 
want you to hold while I get ready. It would n’t do to 
let one end go loose, would it ? ” 

As he spoke, Hardock relinquished his hold of the 
rope and began to strip off his jacket. 

44 What are you going to do ? You ’re not going down, 
Sam?” 

44 You wait a bit; you’ll see,” said the man, and he 
folded his coat into a large pad, which he laid over the 
edge of the rock. 44 Now you lay the rope on that, my 
lad, and give me the end. That ’s the way ; now it won’t 
be cut.” 

44 When we. haul it over the rock. No. I see.” 

44 But we arn’t going to haul it over the rock,” said 
Hardock, nodding his head. 44 1 ’ll show you a way worth 
two of that.” 

He took the end and pulled it over and made a loop, 
leaving just enough free line for the purpose, and, slip- 
ping it over one shoulder and across his breast diago- 
nally, he stood ready. 

Meanwhile jerk after jerk was given to the rope, each 


AT AN AWKWARD CORNER. 


45 


signal which reached Joe’s hands making him thrill with 
eagerness. 

“ There, he must be ready now,” growled Hardock. 

“Ready? Yes,” cried the boy impatiently. “Then 
you are going to walk away with the rope?” 

“ Ay, that ’s it — draw steadily as I go right along the 
Hog’s Back. All right ! Look out ! ” he shouted as the 
word “ Haul ! ” reached their ears. “ There, you stand 
fast, my lad, ready to help him when he comes up to the 
edge. Now then, off ! ” 

Hardock, who stood with his back now to the cliff- 
edge, started off at a slow, steady walk inland, and Joe 
dropped upon his breast and craned his neck over the 
edge of the precipice to watch the block below which 
hid his comrade from his sight. 

But not for many moments now. All at once Gwyn’s 
head appeared, then his chest and his arms were busy as 
he seemed to be helping himself over the rock, and the 
next minute, as Hardock steadily walked away, the boy 
was hanging clear of the rock-face, swinging to and fro 
and slowly turning round, suggesting that the layers of 
the rope were beginning to untwist. 

To use a familiar expression, Joe’s heart felt as if it 
were in his mouth, and he trembled with apprehension, 
dreading lest the rope should come untwisted or the 
hemp give way, the result of either of these accidents 
being that Gwyn must fall headlong on to the sea- 
washed rocks below. Consequently Joe’s eyes were 
constantly turning from the ascending figure to the 
rough pad over which the rope glided, and back again, 
while his heart kept on beating with a slow, heavy throb 
which was almost suffocating. 


46 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


The distance to ascend was very short under the cir- 
cumstances, but to both boys, as they found when they 
afterwards compared notes, it seemed to be interminable, 
and it is doubtful which of the two suffered the more, 
Joe as he gazed down with strained eyes and his vacant 
hands longing to seize the rope, or Gwyn as he hung 
with elbows squared, fists clenched on the knot of the 
rope to insure its remaining fast, and his head thrown 
back and face gazing up at his comrade when he slowly 
turned breast inward — at the sky when he turned back 
to the rocky wall. 

So short a distance for Hardock to continue his tramp, 
less than two hundred feet, and yet it seemed so great ; 
for every nerve was on the strain and no one spoke a 
word. 

It was in Joe’s heart to keep on saying encouraging 
words to Gwyn, and to utter warnings to Hardock, and 
advice as to going slow or fast ; but not a word would 
come — he could only stare down at the upturned 
face, or at the bare head to which the wet hair clung 
close. 

But all the time Gwyn was steadily rising, and in a 
few seconds more J oe felt that he would have to act — 
catching hold of his comrade by the rope about his chest 
and helping him over the edge into safety. 

“Will he never come!” groaned Joe softly. “Ah, 
make haste, Hardock, make haste ! ” 

He turned to look round once to see the strained rope 
and Hardock bending forward like some animal draw- 
ing a load, and the rope looked so thin that he shivered. 
Then as it did not part he felt a pang of dread, for he 
felt that the risk for his comrade was doubled by the 


AT AN AWKWARD CORNER. 


47 


fact that he was dependent upon two ropes now instead 
of one, the slipping of either meaning certain death. 

The moisture in Joe’s hands grew more dense and the 
great drops gathered upon his forehead ran together 
and trickled down his nose with a horrible tickling sen- 
sation, and as he now gazed down once more at Gwyn’s 
hard, fixed, upturned face and straining eyes, his own 
grew dim so that he could only see through a mist, while 
a strange paralyzing feeling began to creep through 
him so that he knew that he would not be able to help. 

And all the time Gwyn rose higher and higher, till 
he was not ten feet below the edge, and now the horrible 
numbing chill which pervaded Joe’s being was chased 
away, for he found that he was suddenly called upon to 
act — to do something to help. 

■ For the action of the rope had told upon the jacket 
laid there to soften the friction, and it began to travel 
slowly from the edge, keeping time with the rope, which 
now ground over the edge, and, to Joe’s horror, looked as 
if it were fraying. 

Bending down, he seized the pad and tried to thrust it 
back in its place, but soon found that this was impossi- 
ble ; and before he could devise some means of making 
this possible, the knot in front of Gwyn’s breast reached 
the edge, and a greater call was made upon the other 
for help. 

The inaction had passed away, and with a strange 
feeling of joy he shouted to Hardoek to stop. 

“ Keep it tight,” he roared ; and he went down on his 
knees, leaned over, caught hold of the loop on either 
side close beneath Gwyn’s arms, and essayed to lift him 
over the edge on to the rocky platform. 


48 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


It was a bitter lesson in his want of power, for, partly 
from his position there on the extreme edge of the terri- 
ble precipice, partly from its being a task for a muscular 
man, he found out he could not stir Gwyn in the least, 
only hold him tighter against the rock, pressing the 
great knot of the rope into the boy’s chest. “Up with 
him, lad ! ” shouted Hardock from where he stood strain- 
ing the rope tight. “Up with him, right over on to the 
rock ! ” 

Joe’s eyes dilated, and he gazed horror-stricken into 
the eyes of his comrade, who hung there perfectly inert, 
while just overhead three great gray gulls wheeled 
round and round, uttering their petulant screams and 
looking as if they thoroughly desired that the next 
minute the boy should fall headlong on to the stones 
beneath. 

“ Come, look sharp ! ” shouted Hardock ; “ this rope 
cuts. Up with him, quick ! ” 

“ Can — can you get hold of anything and — and 
help?” panted Joe at last, hoarsely. 

Gwyn stared at him as if he had heard him speak, but 
did not quite comprehend what he said. 

“Quick, Ydoll! Do you hear? Do something to 
help. Get hold.” 

This seemed to rouse the boy, who slowly loosened 
his hold of the rope, and then with a quick spasmodic 
action caught hold with a death grip of the collar of 
Joe’s jacket on either side. 

“Now — your feet,” said Joe, in a harsh whisper. 
“Try and find foothold.” 

“ Can you — hold ? ” said Gwyn faintly. 

“ Yes, I ’ll try,” was the reply ; and Gwyn’s toes were 


AT AN AWKWARD CORNER. 


49 


heard scraping over the rock again and again, but with- 
out result, and Joe uttered a piteous groan. 

“Can’t you do it?” cried Hardock from the other 
end. “ Why, it ’s as easy as easy. Up with him ! ” 

“No, no! Can’t move,” cried Joe frantically. 

“ Hold tight of him then till I come,” cried the man, 
and Joe uttered a piercing shriek, for the rope went 
down with a jerk which drew him forward upon his 
chest as his hands were torn from their hold on the rope, 
and he clutched wildly at the rock on either side to save 
himself from going down. 

Just then one of the gulls swooped down close to his 
head and uttered its strange, querulous cry. 


50 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


CHAPTER VII. 

SAM HARDOCIv’S OPINION. 

Joe Jollivet must have gone over the cliff in an- 
other instant, headlong down to destruction, for only 
one thing could have saved him, and in all probability 
the sudden jerk of his snatching at his comrade would 
have taken him too. But as it happened, Samuel Har- 
dock — “the captain,” as he was generally called in 
Ydoll Cove — saw the mistake he had made, and did 
that one special thing. 

Turning suddenly, he stepped quickly back, tightening 
the line again, drawing Gwyn close up to the sharp edge 
of the cliff once more ; and as in his agony Joe clutched 
at the moving cord and clung to it with all his might, 
he too was drawn back from the edge. 

“ That was near,” muttered Hardock. “ What ’s best 
to be done ? ” 

Fortunately, the man could be cool and matter of fact 
in the face of real danger, though, as he had shown, he 
was a superstitious coward when it was something 
imaginary ; and he did at once the very best thing under 
the circumstances. 

“ Put heart into ’em by making ’em wild,” he mut- 
tered, and he burst into a hearty fit of laughter. 

“Yah!” he cried. “Nice pair o’ soft-roed uns you 
two are. Why, you arn’t got no more muscle than a 


SAM HARDOCIVS OPINION. 


51 


pair o’ jelly-fishes. There, get your breath, Master Joe, 
and have another try; and you see if you can’t make 
another out of it, colonel. You’re all right if you’ve 
made that knot good. I could hold you for a week 
standing up, and when I get tired I can lie down. 
Haw-haw-haw ! I thought you meant to dive off the 
cliff, you Master Joe.” 

The latter had risen to his knees, with his wet hair 
clinging to his brow, and for a moment he felt disposed 
to rage out something furiously at the grinning speaker. 
But he refrained, and turned to get a fresh grip of 
Gwyn, who seemed to have recovered somewhat, too. 

44 He ’s a beast ! ” cried Joe angrily, for the anger was 
working in the right direction. 

Hardock began again. 

44 Rope cut, Gwyn?” he cried. 44 S’pose it does, 
though. Well, when you two are ready, just say. I’ve 
got him tight enough. But, hark ye, here ! Can you 
tell what I say?” 

44 Yes,” cried Joe, in a choking voice. 

44 That’s right. Well, first thing you do, my lad, you 
try and ease the rope over the edge. It checks you 
like, don’t you see ? Stretch your arms well over, 
colonel, and get your fingers in a crack, and find a 
place for your toes, while young Joe Jollivet eases the 
knot over. Take it coolly. There ’s nothing to mind. 
I’ve got yer, yer know. Ready?” 

44 Yes. Now, Ydoll, old chap,” whispered Joe, 44 can 
you do what he says and find foothold ? ” 

There was a peculiar staring look in the boy’s eyes, 
but he began to search about with his toes, and almost 
at once found a crack that he had passed over before, 


52 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


forced in the toe of one boot, and reaching over he 
gripped the tightened rope with both hands. 

“ Get tight hold of my collar,” he whispered, rather 
faintly. “ Can you do it kneeling ? ” 

“No power,” said Joe huskily. u I must stand.” 

He rose to his feet and bent down over, gripping the 
collar as he was told, and gazing there into Gwyn’s 
eyes, for he dared not look down beyond him into the 
dizzy depth. 

“Now,” said Gwyn, “when you’re ready I’ll try and 
raise myself a bit, and you throw yourself back.” 

“Wait a moment,” panted Joe. Then he shouted, 
“Now I am! All together!” 

“ Right ! Hauley hoi ! ” came back, and in one supreme 
effort Gwyn curved his body into a semicircle, forcing 
his breast clear of the edge, joined his strength to that 
of his comrade in the effort to rise, and the next moment 
Joe was on his back with Gwyn being dragged over him 
face downward. 

Then came an interval of inaction, for the three actors 
in the perilous scene lay prone upon the rough surface 
of the cliff, Hardock having thrown himself upon his t 
face. 

“ Oh, Gwyn, old chap ! Oh, Gwyn ! ” groaned Joe. 

“Hah! Yes, it was near,” sighed the rescued boy, as 
he rose to a sitting posture and began to unfasten the 
rope. “ I thought I was gone.” 

“ It was horrid — horrid — horrid ! ” groaned Joe. 

“ And I could n’t do anything.” 

He rose slowly, wiping his brow, which was dripping 
with perspiration, and the two boys sat there in the sun- 
shine gazing at each other for a few minutes as if quite 


SAM HARDOCK' S OPINION. 


53 


unconscious of the presence of Hardock at the end of 
the rope, where he lay spread-eagled among the heath. 

Then Gwyn slowly held out his hand to be gripped 
excitedly by Joe, who seized it with a loud sob. 

“ Thanky, Jolly wet,” said Gwyn quietly. “ I felt so 
queer seeing you try so hard.” 

“You felt — about me? Ah, you don’t know what I 
felt about you. Ugh ! I could kick you ! Frighten- 
ing me twice over like that. I don’t know which was 
worst, when you went down or when you came up.” 

“ Going down was worst,” said Gwyn quietly. “ But 
have a kick if you like. I don’t feel as if 1 could hit 
back.” 

“Then I ’ll wait till you can,” said Joe, with a 
faint smile. “ Oh, dear how my heart does keep on 
beating ! ” 

He turned with hand pressing his side and looked 
toward Hardock, for the man had moved, and he too sat 
up and began searching in his pockets. And then, to 
the great disgust of the two boys, they saw him slowly 
bring out a short pipe and a brass tobacco-box, and then 
deliberately fill the former, take out his matches, strike 
a light, and begin to smoke. 

“Look at that,” said Joe viciously. 

“Yes, I’m looking,” said Gwyn slowly, and speaking 
as if he were utterly exhausted. “ I feel as if I wish I 
was strong enough to go and knock him over.” 

“ For laughing at us when we were in such a horrible 
fix? Yes, so do I. He’s an old beast, and when you 
feel better we’ll go and tell him so.” 

“ Let ’s go now,” said Gwyn, rising stiffly. “ I say, I 
feel sore all over.” 


54 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


Joe rose with more alacrity and clenched his fists, his 
teeth showing a little between his tightened lips. 

“Why, Jolly,” said Gwyn gravely, “you look as if 
you ’d knocked the skin off your temper.” 

“ That ’s just how I do feel,” cried the boy ; “ regularly 
raw. I want to have a row with old Sammy Hardock- 
It ’s all his fault, our getting into such trouble ; and first 
he stands there laughing at us when we were nearly 
gone, and now he sits there as if it had n’t mattered a 
bit, and begins to smoke. I never hated any one before, 
but I do hate him now. He’s a beast! ” 

“Well, you said that before,” said Gwyn slowly; and 
he shivered. “ I say, Jolly, is n’t it rum that when 
you’re wet, if you stand in the sun you feel cold?” 

“ Then let ’s go and give it to old Hardock ; that ’ll 
warm you up. I feel red-hot now.” 

Gwyn began to rub his chest softly, where the rope 
had cut into him, and the boys walked together to where 
Hardock sat with his back to them, smoking. 

The man did not hear them coming till they were 
close to him, when he started round suddenly and faced 
them, letting the pipe down from between his lips. 

The resentment bubbling up in both of the boys died 
out on the instant, as they saw the drawn, ghastly face 
before them. 

“ Oh, my lads ! Oh, my dear lads ! ” groaned the man ; 
“that’s about the nighest thing I ever see, but thank 
goodness you’re all safe and sound. Would you two 
mind shaking hands ? ” 

The boys stared at him, then at each other and back. 

“ Why, Sam ! ” said Gwyn huskily. 

“Yes, it’s me, my lad,” he replied with a groan, 


SAM HARDOCK' S OPINION. 


55 


“ what there is left on me. I ’ve been trying a pipe, but 
it arn’t done me no good, not a bit. I seem to see young 
J ollivet there going head first over the cliff ; and the 
mortal shiver it did send through me was something as I 
never felt afore.” 

“ Why, you laughed at us,” said Joe, with his resent- 
ment flashing up again. 

“ Laughed at yer? Course I did. What was I to 
do ? If I ’d ha’ told yer both you was in horrid danger, 
would n’t it ha’ frightened you so as you ’d ha’ been too 
froze up to help yourselves ? ” 

“No, I don’t think so,” cried Joe. 

“Don’t yer? Well, I’m sure on it. I couldn’t do 
anything but hold on to the rope, and no one could ha’ 
saved you but yourselves.” 

“ But you should n’t have laughed,” said Gwyn gravely. 

“ What was I to do, then, colonel ? It was the only 
thing likely to spur you up. I thought it would make 
you both wild-like, and make you think you warn’t in 
such a queer street; and it did.” 

The boys exchanged glances. 

“ Yes,” continued Hardock, as he shook hands solemnly 
with both, “ there was nobody to help you, my lads, but 
yourselves, and I made you do that ; but talk about giv- 
ing a man a turn — oh, dear ! oh, dear ! And now my 
pipe ’s gone right out.” 

“ Light it again, then, Sam,” said Gwyn quietly, as he 
stooped stiffly to pick up the fallen pipe and handed it 
to its owner. 

“ Thank ye, my lad, thank ye ; but I don’t feel in the 
humor for no pipes to-day. I feel as if I ’ve had a very 
gashly turn.” 


56 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ But you might have tied the rope round me better, 
Sam,” said Gwyn. 

“ Ay, I might, my lad, but somehow I did n’t. Are 
you hurt much ? ” 

“ Only sore, Sam, with the rope cutting me.” 

“ Nay, but I mean when you fell down the shaft. Did 
you hit yourself again the sides ? ” 

“No. It was very horrible, though. One moment 
I was turning slowly round and round, and the next I 
was losing all the light, the rope slipped from round me, 
and I was going down, down into the darkness. It was 
as if it lasted ever so long. Then there was a splash, the 
water was roaring in my ears, and 1 felt as if I were 
being dragged right on and on, down lower and lower, 
till, all at once, my head shot up again. I never once 
felt as if I was coming up.” 

“ How queer ! ” exclaimed Joe, who stood listening 
with his face all wrinkled up. “ Did n’t you feel when 
you’d got as low as you went that you w r ere going up 
again ? ” 

“No, not in the least. It was all confused-like and 
strange, and I hardly knew anything till I was at the 
surface again, and then I began to strike out, and swam 
along the sides of the slimy stones, trying to get a grip 
of them, but my hands kept on slipping off.” 

“ But you did n’t halloo ? ” said Joe. 

“No,” continued Gwyn, still speaking in the same 
grave, subdued way as if still suffering from the shock 
of all he had gone through. “ I did n’t shout. I felt 
stunned-like, as if I ’d been hit on the head.” 

“You must have been,” cried Joe. “You hit your- 
self against the side.” 


SAM HARDOCK'S OPINION. 


57 


“ No, if I had it would have killed me. I can’t explain 
it. Perhaps it was striking on the water.” 

“Nonsense! Water’s too soft to hurt you. But go 
on. What did you do then ? ” 

“ I hardly know, only that I kept on striking out, 
thinking how horribly dark it must be, and wondering 
whether there were any live things to come at me, and 
then I hit my knee against the stones at the bottom.” 

“ But you said it was deep.” 

“ So it was in the shaft, but I must have swum into a 
passage where it was quite shallow, and almost directly 
after I ’d hit my knee my hands touched the stones, and 
I crawled out into the dark and went on and on, feeling 
afraid to go back because of the water.” 

“But why did n’t you halloo to us?” cried Joe ex- 
citedly. 

“ I don’t know. I suppose I could n’t. It was like 
being in a dream, and I felt obliged to go crawling on. 
Then all of a sudden I began to feel better, for I could 
see a faint light, and this made me try to stand up, but 
I could n’t without hitting my head, but I could walk 
stooping-like, and I went on toward the pale light, which 
was almost like a star. Directly after, I was there look- 
ing out of a square place like a window, trying to find a 
way up or a way down, but the rocks stood out over- 
head, and they were quite straight down below me, so 
I could do nothing but shout, and 1 began to think no 
one would come. Every now and then I could hear 
voices, but when I called, my voice seemed to float out 
to sea. There, you know the rest. But this is an adit, 
isn’t it, Sam Hardock?” 

“Ay, my lad, and lucky for you it was there. You 


58 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


see the water must run off by it out to sea when the 
shaft rises so high. But I never knew there was an 
opening from seaward into the mine. Being right up 
there, nobody could see it. Why, it must be underd and 
fifty feet above the shore.” 

“ It looked more,” said Gwyn, with a shudder. 

“ There, I say, had n’t you better get home and change 
your things, my lad ? You’re pretty wet still. If you 
take my advice, you ’ll go off as fast as you can.” 

“Yes,” said Joe, “you’d better. But we haven’t 
done much to examine the mine.” 

“Eh?” cried Hardock. “I think we have. Found 
out that there ’s an adit for getting rid of the water and 
the spoil. Not bad for one day’s work.” 


THE MINE FEVER. 


59 


CHAPTER VIII. 

THE MINE FEVER. 

“ You’ll have to tell them at home, Ydoll,” said Joe 
as they reached the rough stone- wall which enclosed the 
colonel’s estate. “ What shall you say ? ” 

“ Oh, just what happened,” replied Gwyn ; “ but the 
job is hard to begin. It ’s making the start.” 

“Pst! Look out!” whispered Joe. “Here’s your 
father.” 

“ Good morning, Hardock,” said the colonel, coming 
upon the group suddenly. “ I hope you have n’t been 
filling my boy’s head with more stuff about mining. 
Why, halloo, Gwyn ! How did you get in that state ? 
Where ’s your cap?” 

“ Down the mine-shaft, father,” replied the lad, and 
he found no difficulty about beginning. In a few min- 
utes the colonel knew all. 

“Most reckless ! Most imprudent! ” he cried. “You 
ought to have known better, sir, than to lead these boys 
into such a terrible position ; and how dare you, sir, 
how dare you begin examining my property without 
my permission?” 

“Well, you see, colonel,” began Hardock, “ I thought 
— be doing you good like, as a neighbor.” 

A neighbor indeed ! Confounded insolence ! Be off, 
sir. How dare you ! Never you show yourself upon my 


60 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


land again. There, you Gwyn, come home at once and 
change your clothes ; and as for you, Jollivet, you give 
my compliments to your father, and tell him I say he 
ought to give you a good thrashing, and if he feels too 
ill to do it, tell him to send you down to me and I will. 
Now, Gywn, right face, march ! ” 

The colonel led off his son, and Hardock and Joe 
stood looking at each other. 

“ Made him a bit waxy,” said the miner, “ but he ’ll 
come round to my way of thinking yet, and it strikes 
me that he ’ll be ordering me on to his land again when 
he knows all. I say, young Jollivet, mean to go down 
to him to be thrashed along with the young colonel?” 

“ Oh, he wouldn’t thrash me,” said Joe quietly. “ I 
know the colonel better than that. I feel all stretched 
and aching-like. I wish he had n’t taken Gwyn home, 
though.” 

“I don’t feel quite square myself, lad,” said the min- 
ing captain, “but you see if the colonel don’t r go look- 
ing at the mine.” 

Hardock’s prophecy was soon fulfilled, for that even- 
ing the colonel was rowing in his boat with his son, who 
had a mackerel line trailing astern, and when they came 
opposite to the first buttress, the colonel lay on his oars 
and let his boat rise and fall on the clear swell. 

“Now, then, whereabouts is the mouth of the adit?” 

“ I can’t quite make it out from down here, father,” 
replied Gwyn. “ Yes, I can. There it is, only it does n’t 
look like an opening — only a dark shadowy part of the 
cliff. No one could tell it was a passage in without 
being up there.” 

“ Quite right — they could not,” said the colonel 


THE MINE FEVER. 


61 


thoughtfully. “ And you were drawn up from there and 
right over the top of the cliff?” 

“ Yes, father.” 

“ Horribly dangerous, boy, — hideous ! There, your 
mother knows something about it, but she must never 
be shown how frightful a risk you ran. There, let ’s' get 
back.” 

Gwyn only caught one fish that evening, and his 
father was very thoughtful and quiet when they 
returned. 

“ Here, Gwyn,” he said next morning. “ Come along 
with me — I want to have a look at the old pit-shaft 
and the bit of cliff over which you were drawn.” 

“Yes, father,” said Gwyn, and he led the way over 
their own ground; but before they reached the dwarf 
mine-wall, he was conscious of the fact that they were 
watched, for at the turn of the lane Hardock’s oil-skin 
cap could be seen, as if the man were watching there, 
and the next moment Joe Jolli vet’s straw hat was 
visible by his side. 

Gwyn felt disposed to point out that they were not 
alone, but the next moment his father began talking 
about the slow progress made by the belt of pines he 
had planted between there and the house, so as to take 
off something of the barrenness of the place. 

“ Want of shelter, Gwyn,” he said ; “ the great winds 
from the west catch them too much. I ’m afraid they 
will always be stunted. Still they would hide the mine 
buildings.” 

“ The mine buildings, father ? ” said the boy, looking 
at his father inquiringly. 

“Yes; I mean if I were to be tempted into doing 


62 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


anything of the kind — opening the mine again. Seems 
a pity, if it does contain wealth, to let it lie there use- 
less. Money ’s money, my boy.” 

’ “ But you don’t want money, father, do you ? ” said 
Gwyn. 

• The colonel stopped short, and faced round to gaze 
in his son’s face, before bursting into a merry fit of 
laughter. 

“ Have I said something very stupid, father ? ” 

“ No, not stupid, only shown me how inexperienced 
you are in the matters of every-day life, Gwyn. My 
dear boy, I never knew an officer on half pay who did 
not want money.” 

“ But I thought you had enough.” 

“ Enough, boy ? Some one among our clever writers 
once said that enough was always a little more than a 
man possessed.” 

“ But you will not begin mining, father ? ” 

“ I don’t know, my boy. Let ’s have a look at the 
place. Here have we been here ten years, and I know 
no more about this hole than I did when I came. I 
know it is an old mine-shaft half full of water, just like 
a dozen more all about the district, and I should have 
gone on knowing no more about it if that man had not 
begun talking, and shown me, by the great interest he 
takes in the place, that he thinks it must be rich. Be 
rather a nice thing to grow rich, my boy, and have 
plenty to start you well in the world.” 

“ But I don’t want starting well in the world, father ; 
it ’s nice enough as it is.” 

“ What, you idle young dog ! Do you expect to pass 
all your life fishing, bathing, and birds-nesting here ? ” 


THE MINE FEVER. 


63 


“ No, father, but ” — 

“No, father, but — Humph! here ’s the place, then. 
Dear me, how very unsafe that stone wall is ! A strong 
man could push it down the shaft in half an hour.” 

As he spoke, the colonel strode up to the piled-up 
stones and looked over into the fern-fringed pit. 

“ Ugh ! Horrible ! Pitch one of those stones down, 
boy.” 

Gwyn took a piece of the loose granite, raised it over 
his head with both hands, and threw it from him with 
force enough to make it strike the opposite side of the 
shaft, from which it rebounded and then went on down, 
down into the darkness for some moments before there 
was a dull splash which came echoing out of the mouth, 
followed by a strange swishing as the water rose and fell 
against the sides. 

u Horrible, indeed ! ” muttered the colonel. Then 
aloud: “And you let them lower you down by a rope, it 
came undone, and you fell headlong into that water 
down below, rose, swam to the side, and then crept 
along a horizontal passage to where it opened out on the 
sea-cliff yonder ? ” 

“Yes, father,” said the boy, recalling his sensations as 
his father spoke. 

“Bless my heart!” exclaimed the colonel. “Well, 
Gwyn, you ’re a queer sort of boy. Not very clever, 
and you give me a good deal of anxiety as to how you 
are going to turn out. But one thing is very evident — 
with all your faults you are not a coward.” 

“ Oh, yes, I am, father,” said Gwyn, shaking his head. 
“ You don’t know what a fright I was in.” 

“ Fright ! Enough to frighten anybody. I ’ve faced 


64 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


fire times enough, my boy, and had to gallop helter- 
skelter with a handful of brave fellows against a thou- 
sand or more enemies who were thirsting for our blood ; 
but I dared not have gone down that pit hanging at the 
end of a rope. No, Gwyn, my boy, you are no coward. 
There, show me now where you were drawn up.” 

Gwyn led the way to the foot of the granite ridge, 
fully expecting to hear his father say that he could not 
climb up there ; but, to his surprise, the colonel mounted 
actively enough, and walked along the top of the ridge 
to where it ended in the great buttress, and there he 
stood at the very edge gazing down. 

“ Where were you, Gwyn ? ” he said at last ; and the 
boy pointed out the projection beneath which the adit 
opened out. 

“ To be sure. Yes, I could n’t quite make it out,” said 
the colonel coolly as he turned away ; but Gwyn noticed 
that he took out his handkerchief to pass it over his 
forehead, and then wiped the insides of his hands as if 
they were damp. 

“ Let ’s go back by the road,” said the colonel, after 
shading his eyes and taking a look round ; “ but I want 
to pass the mouth of the mine.” 

Upon reaching the latter the colonel drew a hammer 
from his pocket, and after routing out a few gray pieces 
of stone from where they lay beneath the furze bushes, 
he cracked and chipped several till one which looked red 
in the new cleavage, and was studded with little blackish- 
purple glistening grains, took his fancy. 

“ Carry this home for me, Gwyn,” he said. “ I 
wonder whether that piece ever came out of the 
mine ? ” 


THE MINE FEVER. 


65 


“I think all that large sloping bank covered with 
bushes and brambles came out of the mine sometime, 
father,” said the boy. “ It seems to have been all raised 
up round about the mouth there.” 

“Eh ? You think so ? ” 

“Yes, father; and as the stones thrown out grew 
higher, they seem to have built up the mouth of the 
mine with big blocks to keep the stones from rolling in. 
I noticed that when I was being let down. The ferns 
have taken root in the joints. Lower down, fifteen or 
twenty feet, the hole seems to have been cut through 
the solid rock.” 

“ Humph ! You kept your eyes open, then ? ” 

Crossing the wall where the lane ran along by the 
side of the colonel’s property, they turned homeward, 
and in a few minutes Gwyn caught sight of Joe Jolli- 
vet’s cap gliding in and out among the furze bushes as 
he made his way in the direction of his own house, 
apparently not intending to be seen. But a few 
hundred yards farther along the lane there was some 
one who evidently did intend to be seen, in the shape 
of Sam Hardock, who rose from where he was sitting 
on a gray-lichened block, and touched his hat. 

“ That ’s a nice specimen you ’ve got there, Master 
Pendarve,” he said, eying the block the boy carried. 

“ It ’s a very heavy one, Sam,” replied Gwyn ; and his 
father strode on, but stopped short and turned back 
frowning, unable in spite of his annoyance to restrain his 
curiosity. 

“ Here you, Hardock,” he cried, tapping the block his 
son carried with his cane. “ What is it ? What stone 
do you call that ? ” 


66 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Quartz, sir,” said the man, examining the piece, “and 
a very fine specimen.” 

“ Eh ? Good for breaking up to repair the roads with, 
eh?” 

“No, sir; bad for that — soon go to powder. But it 
would be fine to crush and smelt.” 

“ Eh, what for ? ” 

“ What for, sir ? ” said the man, with a laugh. “ Why, 
that bit o’ stone ’s half tin. I dunno where you got it, o’ 
course, but if it came from the spoil bank of that old 
mine, it just proves what I thought.” 

“ Tin, are you sure ? ” 

“ Sure, sir? Yes,” said the man, laughing. “I ought 
to know tin when I see it. If it ’s come out of the old 
Y doll Mine, you ’ ve only got to set men at work to 
go down and blast it out, sir, and in a very short time 
you ’ll be a rich man.” 

“ Come along, Gwyn,” said the colonel hastily ; “ it ’s 
time we got back. Hang the fellow ! ” he muttered, 
“ He has given me the mining fever, and badly too, I 
fear.” 


DOCTOR JOE , 


67 


CHAPTER IX. 

DOCTOR JOE. 

“ Oh, dear ! Oh, dear ! What a life, what a state of 
misery to be in ! ” 

“ Shall I turn the pillow over, father ? ” said Joe to 
Major Jollivet, who was lying on the couch, placed 
before the window so that he could have a good view 
of the sea. 

“ No,” shouted the major, whose face was drawn by 
pain ; and he shivered as he spoke, although his fprehead 
was covered with perspiration. “ Why do you want to 
worry me by turning the pillow ? ” 

“ Because it will be nice and cool on the other side.” 

“ Get out ! Be off with you directly, sir. Can’t you 
see I ’m shivering with cold ? Oh, dear, who would have 
jungle fever ! ” 

“ I would n’t, father,” said the boy ; and in spite of 
the words just spoken, he softly thrust his arm under 
his father’s neck, raised his head, and then turned and 
beat the pillow, smoothed it, and let the major’s head 
down again. 

“ How dare you, sir ! ” cried the sufferer fiercely. 
“ Did I not tell you, sir, that I did not want it done ? 
Did I not order you to quit the room, sir? Am I not 
your superior officer, sir ? — and you dared to disobey me, 
sir, because I am on the sick list. How dah you, sir ! 


68 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


How dah you, sir ! If you were in a regiment, sir, it 
would mean court-martial, sir ; and — oh, dear me ! ” 

“ That ’s cooler and more comfortable, father, is n’t 
it?” said Joe, calmly enough and without seeming to pay 
the slightest attention to the fierce tirade of angry words 
directed against him. 

u Yes,” sighed the major, “that’s cooler and more 
comfortable ; but,” he cried, turning angry again and 
beginning to draw out and point his great fierce mus- 
tache with his long, thin fingers, “ I will not have you 
disobey my orders, sir. You ’re as bad as your poor 
mother used to be — taking command of the regiment, 
and dictating, and disobeying me as if I were not fit to 
manage my own affairs. How dah you, sir, I say — how 
dah you ! ” 

Joe leaned over his father in the most imperturbable 
way, screwed up his mouth as if he were whistling, and 
drew out the major’s clean handkerchief from his breast 
pocket, shook it, and then gently dabbed the moist fore- 
head. 

“ Don’t ! Leave off, sir ! ” roared the major. “ How 
dah you, sir ! I will not be treated in this way, as if I 
were a helpless infant. Joseph, you scoundrel, you 
shall leave home at once and go to an army tutor. I 
will not have these mutinous ways in the house.” 

Joe smiled faintly, screwed up his lips a little more, 
turned the handkerchief, gave the forehead a light wipe 
over by way of a polish, and then lowered it. 

“Want to blow your nose, dad?” he said. 

“No, sir, I do not want to blow my nose, and if I did 
T could blow it myself. Oh, dear ! Oh, dear ! This pain, 
this pain ! ” 


DOCTOR JOE. 


69 


Joe thrust the handkerchief back and laid his palm 
on his father’s forehead. 

“Not quite so hot, dad,” he said. 

“ How dah you, sir ! It ’s your rank mutinous obsti- 
nacy that makes you say so. Take away that nasty, hot 
paw.” 

Joe went to the mantelpiece, took a large square 
bottle of eau-de-Cologne, removed the stopper, and once 
more drew out his father’s pocket-handkerchief, moist- 
ened it with the scent, and softly applied it to the suf- 
ferer’s forehead. 

“ Confound you ! ” cried the major. “ Will you leave 
me alone, sir, or am I to get up and fetch my cane to 
you?” 

“What do they make eau-de-Cologne of, father?” 
said Joe coolly. “Does it come from a spring, like all 
those nasty mineral waters you take ? ” 

“ It ’s insufferable ! ” panted the major. 

“Time you had a drink, father,” said Joe quietly. 

“ It is not, sir. I take that medicine at eleven o’clock, 
military time. It wants quite half an hour to that yet. 
You want to be off to play with that idle young scoun- 
drel of Pendarve’s, I suppose; but I wish you to stay 
here till it is eleven. Do you hear that, sir? You dis- 
obey me if you dare ! ” 

“Five minutes past eleven now, dad,” said Joe, after 
a glance at the clock over the chimney-piece. 

“It’s not, sir,” cried the major, turning his head 
quickly to look for himself and then wincing from pain. 
“ That clock ’s wrong. It ’s a wretched cheap fraud, and 
never did keep time. Fast ! Nearly an hour fast.” 

“Said it was the best timekeeper in Cornwall only 


70 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


yesterday,” said Joe to himself, as he went to a side 
table on which stood a couple of bottles, a glass and 
water-jug. 

Here the boy busied himself for a few moments, with 
his father frowning and watching him angrily, and look- 
ing, in spite of his pain-distorted countenance, pallid hue, 
and sunken cheeks, a fine, handsome middle-aged man. 

The next minute Joe was coming back with a tumbler 
in his hand and stirring it with a little glass rod. 

“ Here you are, dad. Shall I hoist you up while you 
tip it off ? ” 

“No, sir; I can sit up. How much quinine did you 
put in? ” 

u Usual dose, father.” 

“ Ho ! How much lemon juice ? ” 

“ Wineglass full, and filled up with spring water.” 

Major Jollivet made an effort to sit up, but sank 
back again with a groan. 

Joe might have smiled, but he did not. He could 
justly have said triumphantly : “ There, I knew you 
could not manage it ! ” but he calmly drew a chair to 
the side of the couch, stood the glass within reach of his 
father’s hand, and then went behind his head, forced his 
arm under the pillow, lowered his brow so that he could 
butt like a ram, and slowly and steadily raised his 
father’s shoulders, keeping him upright till the draught 
had been taken and the glass set down. 

“ Bah ! Horrible ! Bitter as gall.” 

“Lower away!” said Joe, and he drew softly back 
till the pillow was in its old place and the major uttered 
a sigh of relief. 

“ I say, dad, you ’re getting better,” said Joe, as he 


DOCTOR JOE. 


71 


took away chair and glass after brushing his disorderly 
hair from his forehead. 

“ How dah you, sir,” cried the major, “ when I ’m in 
such a state of prostration ! ” 

Joe laid his hand on the patient’s forehead again and 
nodded. 

“ Head ’s getting wet and cool, dad. You ’ll be right 
as a trivet' again soon.” 

“ W orse than your poor mother — worse than your poor 
mother. You have n’t a bit of feeling, boy. It ’s abom- 
inable.” 

Joe took a sprayer, thrust it into the neck of the 
scent bottle, and blew an odorous vapor about the 
sufferer’s head. 

“ Will you put that tom-fool thing away, sir! You ’re 
never happy unless you ’re playing with that.” 

U I say! ” cried Joe, still without seeming to pay the 
slightest heed to his father’s words. “What do you 
think, dad?” 

“ Think, sir ? How can I think of anything but this 
wretched jungle-fever ? Oh, my bones, my bones ! ” 

“Colonel Pendarve ’s going to open the old Ydoll 
Mine.” 

“Eh? What?” cried the major, turning his head 
sharply. “ Say that again.” 

“ Captain Hardock got talking to me and Gwyn about 
it, and Gwyn told his father.” 

“Told him what?” 

“ Sam Hardock said that he was sure that there was 
plenty of tin in it, and that it was a pity for it to be 
there and waste when the colonel might make a fortune 
out of it.” 


72 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


44 And — and what did Pendarve say ? ” cried the major 
excitedly. 

“ Said it was all nonsense, I believe. Then Sam 
Hardock took me and Gwyn to have a look, and Ydoll 
went down.” 

44 Look here, sir, I will not have you call Gwyn Pen- 
darve by that idiotic nickname.” 

44 No, father. When he was half down, the’ rope came 
undone and he went down plash.” 

44 Killed? ” cried the major excitedly. 

44 Oh, no, father ; there was plenty of water, and he 
got out through a side passage on to the cliffs, and Sam 
and I had to pull him up again.” 

44 What mad recklessness ! ” 

44 He wasn’t hurt, father, only got very wet; and since 
then the colonel has been to have a look at the place 
and had a talk or two with Sam Hardock, and 
Ydoll ” — 

44 What ! ” cried the major fiercely. 

44 Gwyn thinks his father is going to have machinery 
down and the mine pumped out.” 

44 Madness ! Going to throw all his money away. He 
shan’t do it. I won’t have it. AYhat does Mrs. Pen- 
darve say?” 

44 Gwyn says she does n’t like it at all.” 

44 1 should think not, sir. It means ruin spelt with 
a big letter. Why can’t he be contented with his half 
pay?” 

44 1 dunno, father. I suppose he feels as if he ’d like 
more.” 

44 Yes, and get less. You never knew me tempted by 
these wretched mining schemes, did you, sir? ” 


DOCTOR JOE. 


73 


“No, father.” 

“ The man ’s mad. Got a bee in his bonnet. Going 
to min his son’s prospects in life. He shan’t do it. How 
dah he be so absurd. I ’ll go to him as soon as I can 
move.” 

“Feel a little easier, father?” said Joe, going to the 
head of the couch and pressing his hand upon his 
father’s brow again. 

“Yes, much easier, my boy,” said the invalid, plac- 
ing his hand upon his son’s and holding it down for a 
few moments. “ Feels cooler, does n’t it ? ” 

“ Ever so much, dad, and not so damp.” 

“Yes, I feel like a new man again. Thank you, Joe, 
— - thank you, my boy. Haven’t been fretful, have I?” 

“ Oh ! just a little, father, of course. Who could 
help it?” 

“ 1 was afraid I had been, Joe. But, as you say, who 
could help it? Did n’t say anything very cross to you, 
did I?” 

“ Oh, no, nothing to signify, dad. But I say I am 
glad you ’re better.” 

“ Thank you, my boy, thank you,” said the major, 
drawing his boy’s hand down to his lips and kissing it. 

“ Just like your poor dear mother, so calm and patient 
with me when I am suffering. Joe, my boy, you will 
have to be a doctor.” 

“ I ? Oh, no, father. I must be a soldier, same as 
you’ve been and Gwyn is going to be.” 

“ But I meant a military surgeon,” said the major. 

“Wouldn’t do, father. Why, if I were to tell Ydoll, 
I mean Gwyn, that I was going to be a doctor he would 
crow over me horribly, and I should never hear the end 


74 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


of it. He ’d christen me Jalap or Rhubarb, or some- 
thing of that sort.” 

“ Ah, well, we shall see, and — who ’s that coming 
up to the door? ” 

Joe looked out from the window and came back 
directly. 

“ The colonel, dad. Shall I go and let him in?” 

“ Yes, fetch him in, and stop here and give me a hint 
now and then if I get a little irritable. What you have 
told me makes me feel a bit cross, and I shall have to 
give him a piece of my mind. 1 can’t have him go and 
waste his money like that.” 

Joe hurried out to the front hall and found that 
Gwyn had accompanied his father, the former having 
been hidden by the shrubs as they came up to the 
door. 


FINDING AN INTRUDER. 


75 


CHAPTER X. 

FINDING AN INTRUDER. 

“ W ell, old man, on the sick list ? ” began the colonel, 
shaking hands warmly with his friend. 44 What ’s the 
last bulletin ? ” 

44 Bad, bad,” said the major sharply. 44 Just heard 
that a man I respected is going to make a fool of him- 
self.” 

“ Eh ? What ? ” said the colonel, flushing. “ Who ’s 
been chattering about — ahem ! Are you alluding to 
the mine on my property, Major Jollivet?” 

“ No, sir,” said the major, sitting up, 44 1 was speaking 
about the hole by the cliff that was dug by a pack of 
greedy noodles who were not satisfied with their incomes ; 
and I felt that I should not like to see an old friend of 
mine go shovelling his money down into it and breaking 
his wife’s heart.” 

44 Then it was like your — ahem — ahem,” coughed the 
colonel, checking himself. “No, no, don’t go away 
boys,” for Gwyn was stealing out, followed by Joe. 

“ No! don’t you boys go,” cried the major ; 44 it will be 
a lesson for you both.” 

44 Father been very bad, Joe? ” said the colonel. 

44 Very bad indeed, sir,” said the boy. 

44 Silence, sir!” cried the major. “Nothing of the 
sort. Don’t exaggerate, Joe.” 


76 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ No, father.” 

“ He does n’t, Dick. You’ve liad a nasty touch this 
morning, or you would n’t have spoken to me like 
that.” 

“ I could n’t help it, old man,” said the major warmly ; 
“ but surely you will never be so mad as to go pumping 
out that old place ? ” 

“ Hm ! I don’t know about mad. Be useful to make 
a little money for the sake of the boy.” 

“ W orse still to lose a great deal for the sake of the 
boy." 

“Nothing venture, nothing win, sir. I’m beginning 
to think that it would be worth while to put some money 
in the venture, and I came up this morning to make 
you the first offer of joining in ! ” 

“And throwing away my bit of money, too. No, sir, 
not if I know it. I ’m not quite such an idiot as that.” 

“ You mean as I am,” said the colonel quietly. 

“ I did not say so,” retorted the major. “ I should 
not think of insulting an old friend by using such lan- 
guage.” 

“No, but you would think it, all the same,” cried the 
colonel. “ Now, look here, Jollivet : you and I have 
enough to live upon comfortably.” 

“Quite.” 

“ But there ’s nothing left to start these two young 
dogs well in life, now is there ? ” 

“ Well-er-rum-er-no, there is not much, Pendarve, 
certainly.” 

“ That ’s what I have been thinking, and though the 
idle, reckless young dogs do not deserve it — do you 
hear, you two? I say you don’t deserve it.” 


FINDING AN INTRUDER. 


TT 


“ Joe does n’t,” said Gwyn, with a mischievous grin at 
his companion. 

“No, not at all,” said Joe. “I’m nearly as bad as 
Gwyn.” 

“ Ah, you ’re a nice pair,” said the colonel. “ But we 
as fathers must, I suppose, give you both a good prepara- 
tion for the army, eh, Jollivet? ” 

“ Yes, of course ; that must be done,” said the major. 

“Exactly. Well, I’ve been thinking a great deal 
about it this last day or two, and I have quite come to 
the conclusion that I must do something.” 

“Well, do something,” said the major testily; “don’t 
go and fling your money down a mine.” 

“But there are mines and mines, Jollivet, old fellow. 
If I were asked to join in some company to buy a mine 
or open a new one, I should of course hesitate ; but in 
this case I have one of my own, one that is undoubtedly 
very ancient, and must have had a great deal of tin or 
copper, or both, in it.” 

“No doubt, and it was all dug out and sold long 
enough ago. The old people had the oyster and you ’ve 
got the shell.” 

“ I don’t know so much about that, sir,” said the 
colonel earnestly. “ I brought home a piece of the old ore 
that was dug out, and it ’s very rich in tin. There ’s 
plenty of room down below for an enormous amount, 
and as the only outlay will be for machinery for pump- 
ing and raising the ore, I have made up my mind to 
start a company of two owners to work that mine.” 

“ And lose all your money.” 

“ I hope not. The mine is already sunk, and I believe 
when it is pumped dry we shall find that there are gullies 


78 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


with plenty of ore in them waiting to be worked — plenty 
to pay well for the getting.” 

“ And if there turns out to be none at all ? ” 

“Well, that’s the very worst way of looking at it. 
If it turns out as bad as that, I shall have spent so 
many hundred pounds in new pumping machinery, and 
have it to sell for what it will fetch to some new com- 
pany.” 

“ But you would only get half the value.” 

“ If I got half the value, I should be satisfied. Then 
the loss would not be so very severe.” 

u Severe enough to make you repent it to the last day 
of your life,” said the major shortly. 

“ I hope not. Money is not worth so much repent- 
ance.” 

“ But you talk as if you really meant to do this, Pen- 
darve,” said the major warmly. 

“ I do. I have quite made up my mind.” 

Gwyn looked at his father, with his eyes flashing from 
excitement. 

“ My dear Pendarve, I implore you not to do so, for 
that boy’s sake,” cried the major. 

“It is for his sake I am going to venture upon what 
seems to me a very safe piece of business.” 

“No, no ! A wild-goose chase, sir.” 

“ Mining is not so reckless as that, if carried out on 
business principles, my dear Jollivet.” 

“ There we shall never agree. But in the name of 
all that is sensible, why did you come to me ? ” 

“ Partly because you are my oldest friend, and one to 
whom I should confide any important business.” 


FINDING AN INTRUDER. 


79 


“And partly,” cried the major warmly, “because you 
thought I should he weak enough to join you.” 

“ Quite right, all but the question of weakness,” said 
the colonel. 

“ Absurd ! There I am obliged to speak plainly — I 
could never dream of such a thing.” 

“ I don’t want you to dream,” said the colonel, smil- 
ing, “ I want you to act — to join me, and upon this basis: 
I will find the mine and half the money for the machin- 
ery if you will find the other half.” 

“ It would be folly. Look at the money we know to 
have been lost on mines.” 

“Yes, in companies and over very doubtful affairs. 
In this case, we have the proof of mining having been 
carried on. We have the mine, and we should not have 
to share profits with a number of shareholders.” 

“Nor losses neither,” said the major testily. 

“ Nor the losses neither,” assented the colonel. “ Then 
we live on the spot and could oversee matters.” 

“ Bah ! ” What do we know about mines ? I could 
manage a regiment, not a mine.” 

“We could soon learn, my dear boy,” said the colo- 
nel ; “ and it would be very interesting to have such an 
occupation. I have felt for years past that you and I 
have been wasting time. No occupation whatever, 
nothing to do but think about our ailments. It ’s rust- 
ing, Jollivet, it’s rusting out; and I ’m sure that if we 
both worked hard we should be healthier and better 
men.” 

“Humph! Well, there is something in that. But 
no, no, no ! I ’m not going to be tempted to spend money 
that ought some day to come to Joe.” 


80 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


44 Oh, I don’t mind, father, if it ’s going to do you 
good,” cried the boy eagerly. “I should like for you to 
have a mine.” 

44 Shall I have any money some day, father ? ” said 
Gwyn. 

44 I suppose so, my boy, — what I leave when I 
die.” 

44 Oh, then I ’ll give it to go into the mine, father,” 
cried Gwyn; and the stern look passed off the colonel’s 
face. He nodded and looked pleased. 

44 Think of the anxiety that such a venture would 
bring,” said the major. 

44 1 have thought of it, and also of the anxieties and 
worries which come to a man who has nothing to do. 
Look here, Jollivet, T firmly believe in this adventure, 
and I should very much like it if you would join me, 
for I feel that it would do you good, and that we should 
get on well together.” 

44 Oh, yes, I ’ve no doubt about that,” said the major, 
44 and if you really do make up your mind to venture, 
I don’t say that I will not lend you some money if you 
need it.” 

44 Thank you, I know that you would, Jollivet; but I 
don’t want to take it in that way. Think it over for a 
few days and see how you feel about it.” 

44 No, 1 can give you my answer now without any 
hesitation. It is quite out of the question, Pendarve. 
Even if it were a gold mine, I should say ” — 

44 Don’t decide rashly, old fellow,” said the colonel. 
44 A few days ago I should have answered you in the 
same way if you had come and proposed the thing ; but 
since I have thought it over, I have quite changed my 


FINDING AN INTRUDER . 


81 


mind. Think it over, and let me hear what you have 
concluded to do at the end of a week.” 

“ But I tell you, my dear sir ” — 

“Yes; tell me at the end of a week,” said the colonel, 
smiling. “ What do you think of these fellows begin- 
ning to investigate the mine for themselves ? There, 
Gwyn, you need not stay for me if you want a run with 
Joe. 1 ’ll walk home alone.” 

“ Father is not well enough to be left.” 

“ Yes, yes, my boy,” said the major, “I don’t want to 
make a prisoner of you. Go and have a run with Gwyn, 
by all means.” 

The boys required no second permission, but were off 
at once, their fathers hearing the beat of their feet on 
the road directly after. 

“ Where have they gone ? ” said the major, turning on 
his couch. 

“ Down to the mouth of the mine, for certain,” said 
the colonel. 

He was quite right. There was no proposal made by 
either of the boys, but as soon as they were outside the 
gate they started off together at a rapid trot, making 
straight for the colonel’s land, springing over the stone 
wall and threading their way amongst stones and bushes 
till they were compelled by the rough ground to go more 
slowly. 

“ Makes one want to see more of what it ’s like,” said 
Joe. 

« Yes, I did n’t know father was thinking about it so 
seriously. Why, it ’ll be splendid, Joe ! I say, you ’ll 
have to go down first this time. 

“Yes, I suppose so, but not your way.” 


82 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Hist ! ” whispered Gwyn, as they drew near. “ What 
does that mean? ” 

“ What? I don’t see anything.” 

Gwyn ducked down behind one of the great, gray 
weathered lumps of granite and signed to his companion 
to follow his example. 

This was done on the instant, and then Joe looked 
inquiringly in his companion’s face. 

“ Something wrong,” whispered Gwyn. “ Trespassers ! 
Got to know that father means to work the mine.” 

Gwyn raised his head softly so as to peer over the 
block of granite, and plainly made out a hand and arm 
working about at the side of the low protection wall. 

“Sam Hardock,” whispered Joe, who had followed his 
example. “What ’s he doing — measuring the depth ? ” 

“ ’T is n’t Sam,” whispered Gwyn; “ it ’s some one else 
— stranger, I think. Then the mine must be valuable, 
or he would n’t be there. What shall we do?” 

“He has no business there. It’s on your father's 
property, perhaps it ’ll be ours too,” whispered Joe. “ I 
say, we ’re not going to stand that. Let ’s go and collar 
him.” 

“ Agreed,” said Gwyn excitedly. “We’ve right on 
our side. Come on.” 


FIGHTING THE ENEMY. 


83 


CHAPTER XI, 

FIGHTING THE ENEMY. 

Gwyn Pendarve’s “Come on” was loyally re- 
sponded to by Joe Jollivet, and the two lads made a 
severe charge down the slope at the interloper, so busy 
about the old mine-shaft. 

Now, if you take two dogs out for a walk in the coun- 
try, unless they are particularly well-behaved, spiritless 
animals, directly they see sheep, cow, or bullock grazing 
they will immediately make a dash, and if the grazing 
creature runs they will have a most enjoyable hunt. 
But if the quarry stands fast and makes a show of 
attacking in turn, the probabilities are that the dogs will 
slacken speed, stop short a few yards away, give vent 
in barks to their opinions upon the unnatural behavior 
of the animal, lower their triumphantly waving tails, 
and come back at a gentle trot, stopping at times, though, 
to turn their heads and make a few more remarks 
in dog language. 

Truth to tell, when Gwyn and Joe made their charge 
they fully expected to see the man leaning over the old 
wall start off and run ; but, as it happened, he did not, 
but stood up, turned and faced them, looking a big, sour- 
faced truculent fellow, who scowled at them and stood 
his ground. 

Whatever their inclinations might have been for the 


84 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


moment, not being dogs and each having his prestige to 
keep up in his companion’s eyes, Gwyn and Joe certainly 
stopped, but they did not turn, but stood firm, noting 
that the man had a large reel of sea fishing-line evi- 
dently of goodly length. 

“ Hullo ! ” he saicl hoarsely. “ What ’s for you ? ” 

“ What are you doing here ? ” cried Gwyn. 

“ What ’s that to you ? ” 

“ Everything. Do you know you are trespassing ? ” 
“No. Ami?” 

“ Yes, of course.” 

“ Thank ye for telling me. Good morning.” 

Gwyn stared and then looked at Joe. 

For, instead of going at once, the man turned his 
back and drew upon his line, whose end — evidently 
weighted — was hanging down the shaft ; but instead of 
continuing to draw it out, he let it run down again 
rapidly through his hands. 

“Here, stop that!” cried Gwyn. “What are you 
doing ? ” 

The man turned upon them, scowling. 

“ Hullo ! ” he said ; “ arn’t you gone ? What are you 
waiting for ? ” 

“ To know what you ’re doing on our property.” 

“ Your property ! ” said the man scornfully. “ Can’t 
you see what I ’m doing ? Fishing.” 

“ Fishing? ” cried Joe, who felt staggered, and began 
wondering whether there might be any underground 
communication with the sea through which some of the 
huge eels of the rocky cove might have made their way. 

“ Yes, fishing,” growled the man. “ Don’t make that 
row, because I ’ve got one at me. Be off ! ” 


FIGHTING THE ENEMY. 


85 


“ Nonsense ! ” cried Gwyn scornfully. “ There are 
no fish there.” 

“How do you know, youngster?” said the man 
sharply ; “ ever tried ? ” 

“No,” replied Gwyn; “but I do know that there are 
no fish in a hole like that.” 

“Ho! You’re precious cunning. But never you 
mind, my young sharpshooter. You be off while your 
shoes are good.” 

“ How dare you order me to go ! ” cried Gwyn, flush- 
ing. “ I told you this was my father’s property.” 

“No, you did n’t,” said the man, after giving a glance 
round. “You said it was yours. Consequently you 
must be a liar, for you tells two tales. Now be off and 
don’t bother me.” 

Joe looked inquiringly at Gwyn, and the silent question 
meant, “Hadn’t we better go and fetch your father?” 
But Gwyn felt upon his mettle and he cried angrily: 

“ No ; it ’s you who have to be off. You ’re on private 
grounds, and it ’s all nonsense about fishing. I know 
what you are about.” 

“Oh, do you?” said the man sneeringly, as he looked 
sidewise at the lad, but went on busily all the same with 
his long line. “Well, what am I about, young clever 
shaver, if I ’m not fishing ? ” 

“You ’re trespassing, as I told you; and whoever you 
are, you ’ve no right to be doing that.” 

“ Anybody ’s got a right to fish.” 

“Yes, in the sea, but not on private grounds; so now 
be off at once.” 

“ And suppose I say I won’t ? ” said the man, with a 


sneer. 


86 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“But you won’t, now you’re told. Be off, please, at 
once ; we can’t have you doing that.” 

“ Why, you ’re never going to interfere with a stranger 
who ’s trying to ketch a few podnoddles,” said the man, 
grinning. 

“ No, but I will with a stranger who has come spying 
and measuring that mine, so be off at once and no more 
nonsense.” 

“ Let’s fetch the colonel,” whispered Joe. 

“ Yah ! go and fetch your grandmother,” snarled the 
man. “ Look here, both of you, I did n’t interfere with 
you : don’t you come interfering with me, my lads, be- 
cause I ’m one of the sort who turns ugly when he ’s 
interfered with.” 

Gwyn hesitated for a few moments and then stepped 
close up, clapped his hand on the man’s shoulder, and 
pointed toward the wall. 

“ Come ! ” he cried. “ That ’s the way, and don’t you 
come here again.” 

The man turned upon him with a wild beast-like 
snarl. 

“ Do you want me to pitch you down that hole ? ” he 
cried. 

“No, and you daren’t do it,” cried Gwyn, whose 
temper rose at this. “Now then, will you go?” 

For answer the man swung round fiercely, bringing 
his right arm across Gwyn’s chest and sending him 
staggering back for a yard or two. 

“ Come on, Gwyn, let ’s fetch the colonel.” 

Gwyn’s blood was up. He felt not the slightest 
inclination to run for help, but sprang forward with 
such energy that, in his surprise, the man, big as he was, 


FIGHTING THE ENEMY. 


87 


gave way, startled for the moment; and Gwyn seized 
the opportunity to make a snatch at the great reel he 
held, wrenched it from his hand and threw it to Joe, 
who caught it as cleverly as if it had been a cricket hall. 

44 Run round the other side, Joe, and drag it out. 
Run off with it ! Never mind me.” 

Joe obeyed on the instant, and, making for the other 
side, he dashed off up the gully, dragging the line after 
him, and was some yards away before the man realized 
what had happened. 

44 Oh, that’s your game, is it?” he cried savagely. 
44 1 ’ll ’tend to you directly, my lad,” and he attempted to 
pass Gwyn, who tried to stop him, but received a thrust 
which sent him backward on the heath, while the man 
was about to follow Joe. 

But Gwyn’s life on the rocky coast had made him as 
active as a cat ; and as the fellow was passing he thrust 
out one leg, tripped him, and. his adversary went down 
with a crash, while before he could rise Gwyn was upon 
him, trying to hold him down. 

The boy was strong for his years, and, gripping his 
adversary by the collar with both hands, he drove his 
knees into the man’s ribs and held on. For some 
moments the advantage of his position was on his side, 
but it was like trying to ride a mad bull ; for the man 
heaved and twisted, and Gwyn had hard work to main- 
tain his place as long as he did. This was till the man 
gave a tremendous writhe, sending his rider over side- 
wise, and then dashing after Joe, who was running as 
hard as he could go, trailing the line after him. . 

He had a good start and the advantage of being light 
and accustomed to make his way among the heath and 


88 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


stones ; but he soon found that the weight at the end of 
the line kept on catching in the rough growth, and as 
he tore on he saw that the fierce-looking fellow was in 
full pursuit. If he had dropped the reel he could easily 
have got away, but Gwyn had thrown that reel to him 
and told him to run with it ; and setting his teeth he ran 
on, jerking the weight free again and again till all at once, 
in one of the bounds it made after a heavy drag, it struck 
against a small post-like piece of granite which stuck up 
out of the ground, swung round and clasped it as the 
boias of a South American Indian twines round the legs 
of a running animal, and the sudden jerk threw the boy 
down. 

He was up again directly and turned to run and un- 
twist the line, but it was only to rush into the man’s 
arms, be thrown, and with a knee upon his chest the 
fellow began to try and tear the line from his hands. 

But Joe’s blood was up now, and he held on with all 
his might, twisted himself over so as to get the reel 
bejieath his chest. 

“Gwyn! Gwyn! Help!” he shouted. 

“ All right ! ” came from behind him, and his comrade 
who had been in pursuit pitched heavily on to the man’s 
back, when a trio in struggling began, the boys holding 
on with stubborn determination, and their enemy sav- 
agely striking out with fist and elbow. 

It was only a question of minutes, and then the boys 
would have been completely mastered. In fact, it had 
reached the pitch when he had them both at his mercy, 
and was kneeling between them, holding each by the 
throat and forcing them back on the heather, when 
there was a loud whistle, the sound of a heavy blow, 


FIGHTING THE ENEMY. 


89 


and the man uttered a savage yell as he sprang up and 
turned upon a fresh adversary. But — whish ! crash ! 
The sounds were repeated, followed by a savage shout, 
and the man beat a retreat. 

For Colonel Pendarve had come panting up at the 
sight of the struggle, and, bringing to bear his old 
cavalry officer’s skill, delivered two slashing sabre-cuts 
with his heavy cane, the first from the right, the second 
from the left shoulder, putting the enemy thoroughly 
to the rout; for the man left the trophies of the fight 
in the boys’ hands, made for the road, and disappeared 
over the wall. 


90 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


CHAPTER XII. 

THE MAJOR HAS STRANGE SYMPTOMS. 

“What is the meaning of all this?” panted the 
colonel as Major Jollivet came np more slowly, look- 
ing weak and pale, but urged on by the excitement to 
their side. 

Gwyn blurted out something incoherent, for lie was 
too much exhausted to speak plainly, and stared con- 
fusedly at his father. 

“ What ? ” cried the latter. “ I can’t understand you. 
Here, Joe Jollivet, what have you to say? ” 

“ Blurr — blurr — bline ! ” said Joe. 

“ Splendid cuts, Pendarve. The grand old form,” 
panted Major Jollivet. “You — you — you — -sent — 
sent — the blood der — der — dancing through — in — 
my veins.” 

“Yes, I flatter myself he had them home,” said the 
colonel, smiling with satisfaction. “ Regular old pursu- 
ing practice. Lucky for him it was not the steel. But 
what is it all about ? Who is the fellow ? Was he try- 
ing to rob you? ” 

“No — you — father,” stuttered Gwyn . “ Caught him 
— measuring — the mine. Took away — his line.” 

“What? You boys did?” 

Joe nodded, still too breathless to speak, and not feel- 
ing disposed to utter incoherent sounds again. 

“ Yes — father — Joe ’s got it.” 


THE MAJOR HAS STRANGE SYMPTOMS. 91 


“ Ha, ha, ha ! ” laughed the colonel. “ It seems to me 
that you ’ye both got it. Do you know that your nose 
is bleeding, sir?” 

Gwyn gave the organ the aboriginal wipe, drawing the 
back of his hand across his face, looked at it, and saw 
that it was covered with blood. 

“ No — didn’t know, father,” he said, taking out his 
handkerchief now. “ Yes, it does bleed.” 

“ Bleed, yes ! Why, you have had a regular light, 
then ? ” 

“Running light seemingly,” said the major grimly. 
“ Tut — tut — tut ! What a disreputable pair of young 
blackguards they look.” 

“ Never mind,” said the colonel suavely. “ They did 
quite right to attack the enemy, even if he was in greater 
force. But I don’t quite understand it, Gwyn. Did he 
say he was measuring the mine ? 

“No, father, but we saw him doing it.” 

“But how could he know anything about it? The 
man was a stranger to me.” 

“ I never saw him before, father.” 

“Humph!” ejaculated the colonel, turning to the 
major. “ 1 ’m glad 1 brought you out to have a look. 
Pretty good proof that some one believes the old mine 
to be valuable, eh ? ” 

“Yes, or a trick to make it seem so.” 

“ Pooh ! Impossible ! It might be if some one wanted 
to sell the mine ; but it is not for sale, and not likely to 
be. So you found him measuring — sounding, I suppose 
you mean.” 

“Yes, sir,” said Joe. “ Here ’s the line, and it seems 
to have knots in it to show the depth.” 


92 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


For the boy was busily reeling up the loose cord, and 
walking back toward where the leaden weight was 
twined round the piece of granite. 

Joe set this free, and it proved to be a regular fishing- 
sinker. 

“But what did the fellow say to give you an excuse 
for attacking him as you did ? ” 

“ Said he was fishing, father,” replied Gwyn ; “ but 
that was only his insolence.” 

“ Might have been stupid enough to think he could 
fish there,” said the major. 

“No; he meant to find out something about the 
place. It is being talked about, I believe.” 

“ Yes, a good deal,” said the major significantly. 
“ Well, as you have brought me here to see it, you may 
as well show me the place.” 

By this time the line was all wound up, and the 
colonel led the way back to the mine, where, just as 
they reached the rough stone-wall, Gwyn ran forward 
and picked up a common memorandum book which had 
fallen to lie half hidden amongst the heath. 

A roughly pointed lead pencil was between the leaves, 
which opened to show that the owner had been making 
notes ; but that he was not accustomed to the work was 
evident from the spelling, the first entry reading as 
follows : 

“ Dounter warter 30 fathom.” 

The second : 

“ Dounter botm 49 fathom an narf.” 

The third entry was : 

“ Lot worter in thole as must be pumpt out.” 

Then came a series of hieroglyphics which puzzled 


THE MAJOR HAS STRANGE SYMPTOMS. 93 


Gwyn ; and after a long trial he handed the book to his 
father, who looked at it for some time and then shook 
his head as he in turn handed it to the major. 

“I ’m not scholar enough for this, Jollivet,” he said. 
“Will you have a try ? ” 

“ No ; I have n’t brought my glasses. Here, Joe, 
what does this say? ” 

Joe, who had been all eagerness to begin, caught at 
the book and tried to decipher the roughly written 
words, but got on no better than the rest. 

“Let me try again,” cried Gwyn. 

“No, no, I have n’t done yet,” said Joe ; “but it looks 
all rubbish. No one can make this out.” 

“Spell it over,” said his father; and the boy began. 

“ H-o-r-s-i-m-s-p-o-o-t-e-t-y-d-e-b-i-t-h-e-t-o-p-e.” 

“ What does that spell ? It ’s all one word. 

“Read it again,” said Gwyn excitedly; and Joe re- 
peated the letters. 

“ I know. Can’t you see ? ” cried Gwyn, laughing. 

Joe shook his head and the two old officers looked 
nonplussed. 

“ What is it, Gwyn ? ” said his father. “ Speak out, 
if you know.” 

“ Ore seems pretty tidy by the top.” 

“ No ! Nonsense ! ” cried the colonel. 

“It is, father,” said Gwyn. “You read it over again, 
Joe.” 

The letters were once more repeated, and the major 
exclaimed : 

“ That ’s it, sure enough.” 

“ Then there must be something in it,” cried Colonel 
Pendarve. “ The place is being talked about, and this 


94 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


fellow, who is evidently experienced in such matters, 
has been sent on to act as a spy. But how does he know 
about the depth ? ” 

“ Line ’s all knotted in six-feet lengths, sir,” said Joe. 

“ Then I ’m much obliged to him for taking the 
measures, but let ’s try for ourselves. You would like to 
see the depth tried, Jollivet? ” 

“I? No, certainly not. Why should I?” said the 
major testily. 

Because I presume you will take some interest in see- 
ing me succeed, if I go on with the venture.” 

“ Oh ! — well, yes, of course. Going to try now ? ” 

“ I am,” replied the colonel. “ Will you boys let 
down the leaden sinker. Be careful, mind. Will you 
hold the reel, Joe, and then Gwyn can count the knots 
as the line runs down.” 

“All right, sir,” cried Joe; and the major took his 
place by the wall to look on, while, after stationing them- 
selves, Gwyn counted three knots so as to get a little 
loose line, then took tight hold and pitched the lead 
from him, letting the stout cord run between his finger 
and thumb, and counting aloud as it went down, stop- 
ping at thirty by tightening his grasp on the line. 

“ He ’s wrong, father : thirty fathoms and there ’s no 
water yet.” 

“ Try a little lower, boy.” 

The line began to run again, and there was a faint 
plash before half of another had beon reeled off. 

“ Not so very far out,” said the major as Gwyn went 
on counting : and the reel turned steadily on, Joe turn- 
ing one finger into a brake and checking the spool so 
that it would not give out the line too fast. 


THE MAJOR HAS STRANGE SYMPTOMS. 95 


On went the counting, the words coming mechanically 
from Gwyn’s lips as he thought all the while about his 
terrible fall, and wondered how deep down he had gone 
beneath the black water. 

“Forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty,” counted 
Gwyn. 

“ Bottom ? ” cried the colonel. 

“ No, father; he must have let it catch on some ledge or 
piece that stuck out. Look, the lead ’s going steadily on. 
He said forty-nine : I ’ ve counted fifty and there it goes — • 
fifty-one, fifty-two and to the surprise of all the line ran 
out till another twenty fathoms had passed off the reel. 

“ Seventy fathoms, father. That ’s bottom,” said Gwyn, 
hauling up and letting the Jine run again with the same 
result. 

“Ha, yes,” said the colonel, “and that means so 
many thousand gallons more water to be pumped out. 
But try again. Jerk the lead, and let it shoot down. 
Perhaps you have not quite sounded the bottom yet.” 

Gwyn obeyed, and the result was again the same. 

“Seventy fathoms. Well, that is not deep compared 
to some of the mines, but it proves that there must have 
been profitable work going on for the people, whoever 
they were, to have gone on cutting through the hard 
stone. A tremendous task, Jollivet.” 

“Hang it, yes, I suppose so. Well, there is nothing 
more to be done or seen, is there ? ” 

“Not at present. Only to reel up the line our visitor 
has been so obliging as to lend us.” 

“Wind away, Joe,” cried Gwyn, “and I’ll let the 
string pass through my fingers, so as to strain off some 
of the water.” 


96 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


The boys began to gather in the sounding-cord, and 
the major stood peering down over the wall into the 
black depths and poking at a loose stone on the top of 
the wall with his cane. 

“Seems rather childish,” he said suddenly; “but 
should you mind, Pendarve, if I dislodged this stone and 
let it fall down the shaft? ” 

“ Mind ? Certainly not. Go on. Here, shall I do it ? ” 

“No, I should prefer doing it myself,” said the 
major ; and standing his cane against the wall, he took 
hold of the stone and stood it upon the edge. 

“ Stop ! ” cried the colonel as he noted that the under 
part of the stone glistened as granite will. 

“ What ’s the matter ? ” 

“That piece of stone,” said the colonel excitedly. 
“ Why, man, look : it is rich in tin ore.” 

“That blackish-purple glittering stuff?” 

“ Yes ; those are tin crystals. But there ! It does not 
matter. Throw it in. We can have it sent up again 
when the mine is pumped out. In with it.” 

The major raised the stone with both hands face high 
and threw it from him, while all watched him and then 
stood waiting for the heavy, hollow, sounding splash 
which followed, with the lapping of the water against 
the sides. 

“It is strange,” said the major, “what a peculiar fas- 
cination a place like this exercises over me, Pendarve. 
I feel just as if I could leap down into that place.” 

As he spoke he leaned over the low wall as if drawn 
toward the place, and his son turned ghastly white and 
uttered a faint cry. 


THE COMPACT SEALED. 


97 


CHAPTER XIII. 

THE COMPACT SEALED. 

“No, no, my boy, don’t be alarmed,” said the major, 
turning to smile at his son. “It is only that I am a 
little nervous and impressionable from — my illness. 
But it is strange how danger attracts, and how necessary 
it is for boys to be careful and master themselves when 
tempted to do things that are risky. Upon my Avord, I 
marvel at the daring of you fellows in running such a 
risk as you did the other day.” 

“ It was not Joe, sir,” interposed Gwyn. “ I went 
down.” 

“ But I ’ll be bound to say my boy was ready to offer.” 

The pair of actors in the trouble glanced at each 
other, and Joe’s cheeks grew red again. 

“ Take my advice,” said the major. “ As boy or man 
never do anything risky unless it is for some good 
reason. One has no right to go into danger unless it is 
as an act of duty.” 

“ Quite right ; that ’s what I am always telling Gwyn, 
but boys have such terribly short memories. There, we 
may as well go back, but you had better wash your face 
at the first pool, Gwyn. You look horrible. I can’t 
have you go home in that condition.” 

“ No ; he would frighten Mrs. Pendarve out of her 
senses,” said the major. “ Well, I ’ve seen the Avonder- 


98 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


ful mine, and it looks just like what it is : a big square 
hole with plenty of room to throw down money enough 
to ruin the queen. But you were right, Pendarve, — the 
fresh air and the exertion have done me good. I must 
go back, though, now — the fever makes me weak.” 

That evening the colonel had a long talk with his 
son, for he had come to the conclusion that they had not 
heard the end of the man’s visit to the mine. 

“ It seems to me, Gwyn,” he said, “that something 
must have been said about the place and caused this 
amateurish kind of inspection.” 

“ I ’ve been thinking so too, father,” said Gwyn. 
“ Sam Hardock must have been talking about it to 
different people, and praised it so that some one wants 
to begin mining.” 

They had come to the right conclusion, for the very 
next day a dog-cart was driven to the cove, stopped 
at the colonel’s gate, and a little fussy-looking gentle- 
man with sharp eyes, a snub nose, and gray hair, which 
seemed to have a habit of standing out in pointed tufts, 
came up to the door, knocked, and sent in his card. 

“Mr. Lester Dix, Solicitor, Plymouth,” said the 
colonel, reading the card as he and Gwyn were busy 
over a work on military manoeuvres. “ I don’t know 
any Mr. Dix. Show him in.” 

“ Shall I go, father ? ” 

“No, I think not, my boy. I don’t suppose it is any- 
thing important, unless it is some one come to claim 
damages for the assault you committed on the man at 
the mine, and for confiscating the reel and line.” 

“ Oh, it would not be that, would it, father ? ” cried 
Gwyn anxiously. “ And besides ” — 


THE COMPACT SEALED. 


99 


“He began it, eh? Well, we shall see. You had 
better stay.” 

The visitor was shown in, and entered with so smil- 
ing a countenance that at first Gwyn felt better ; but a 
suspicion came over him directly after that the smile 
might mean a masking of the real attack. 

For Gwyn’s education was growing decidedly mili- 
tary, his father devoting a great deal of time to reading 
works on fortification and army matters. 

But he was soon set at rest, for, after apologizing 
for the call, and making a few preliminary comments 
on the fine weather, and the pleasant drive over from 
the station, the visitor plunged at once into the object 
for which he had come : 

“ The fact is, Colonel Pendarve, my professional busi- 
ness lies a great deal with mining companies, and one of 
those for whom I act have been for some time looking 
out for a spot here on the north coast where they could 
exploit, so to speak, the land, and try with the newer 
machinery some of the old neglected mines. Now 1 am 
instructed that you have on your estate one of these 
disused mines, and my company for whom I act are 
willing to run the risk of trying if anything can be 
made of it with the modern appliances. You see I am 
quite frank with you, sir. In other words, they are 
desirous of becoming the purchasers of your little estate 
here at a good advance upon the sum for which you 
purchased it.” 

“ Indeed ? ” said the colonel, smiling. 

“Yes, sir; and I will not conceal from you the fact 
that they will be quite willing to agree to what would 
really be a most advantageous thing for you.” 


100 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Then the old mine must be very valuable,” said 
Gwyn excitedly. 

“Eh?” ejaculated the visitor, turning his eyes sharply 
upon the boy. “ Oh, dear me, no, my dear young friend. 
That does not follow. It might turn out to be, of course ; 
but mining is a terribly speculative, risky business, and 
the probabilities are that this mine — let me see: Ydoll, 
I think, is the old name, and, eh, young gentleman, not 
badly named ? Been lying idle for a very long time, I 
suppose. Eh? You ’ll excuse the joke ? We may lose 
very heavily in this one while we gain in others — but 
of course, Colonel Pendarve, that is not my affair. My 
instructions, to be brief, are to ascertain whether you 
will sell, and, if you will take a reasonable price, to 
close with you at once.” 

“ I wish father would ask him how he knows about 
the mine,” thought Gwyn. 

“ May I ask how you became aware of the existence 
of this place, sir ? ” asked the colonel. 

“ Maps and plans, sir. I have pretty well every 
property marked out all through the country. Physical 
and geological features are set down. Quite a study, 
young gentleman. You have a nice place here, Colonel 
Pendarve ; but you must find it bleak, and 1 think I may 
venture to say this is an opportunity for parting with it 
most profitably.” 

“ I suppose so, sir,” said the colonel, “ for your clients 
would not be, I presume, particular about a few hun- 
dreds to obtain possession ? ” 

“Well,” said the lawyer, smiling, “without commit- 
ting myself, I think I may say that your wishes within 
reason would be met, sir, upon pecuniary points.” 


THE COMPACT SEALED. 


101 


“Well, that sounds satisfactory,” said the colonel; 
“ but I have grown attached to the place, and so has my 
son.” 

“ Oh, yes, father,” said Grwyn eagerly. “ I don’t 
want to go.” 

“ Plenty of more beautiful places to be had, my dear 
sir,” said the lawyer, “ by the man who has money.” 

“ I have improved the house, too, a great deal 
lately.” 

“ So I should suppose, sir,” said the lawyer ; “ but we 
should consider all that in the purchase money.” 

“And I have made my little garden one of the most 
productive in the county.”’ 

“ All of which we will take into consideration, my 
dear sir. Now, not to take up your time, what do you 
say ? I have a plan in my pocket of the estate, and I am 
quite prepared to come to terms at once.” 

“ But is not this very sudden ? ” said the colonel, 
smiling. 

“ Well, perhaps so, my dear sir ; but I always advise 
the companies who intrust me with their affairs to be 
business-like and prompt. Let us have none of the law’s 
delays, my dear sir, I say. It means waste of time, and 
as time is money it is a waste of hard cash. Now sir, 
you, as a military man, know the value of decision.” 

“ I hope so,” said the colonel, who looked amused. 

“ Now, in plain English, sir, will you sell? ” 

“ In plain English, Mr. Dix,” said the colonel 
promptly, “ no.” 

“ Take time, my dear sir, take time,” said the lawyer. 
“ Don’t, let me implore you, throw away a good chance. 
Name your terms.” 


102 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ I have no terms to propose, sir. I like my house 
here, and I shall not part with it at any price. Yes, 
Dolly. What is it?” 

For the maid had tapped and entered, looking very 
round-eyed and surprised. 

“ Another gentleman to see you, sir.” 

“ Indeed? You will not mind, Mr. Dix ? ” 

“ Oh, by no means, my dear sir. But one moment, 
please. Why not close with my proposal? Come, my 
dear sir, to be plain, I will take the place at your own 
terms.” 

“You will not take the place at any terms, sir,” said 
the colonel decisively. “Dolly, show the other gentle- 
man in. But did he give you his card?” 

“ No, sir ; said he’d like to speak to you himself.” 

“ Show him in, then.” 

“ Ha ! ” ejaculated the lawyer. “ But you will alter 
your mind, Colonel Pendarve.” 

“ I hope not.” 

“ But if you do, you will give me the first offer ? ” 

“ I will make no promises, sir,” replied the colonel. 

At that moment a reddish-haired, sour-looking man 
was shown in, and he nodded shortly to the lawyer. 

“ You here ? ” he said. 

“ Yes, my dear Brownson, I am here. Business, my 
dear sir, business. You really do not mean to say that 
you have come on the same mission as I ? ” 

“ I beg pardon, Colonel Pendarve,” said the fresh 
visitor. “ I was not aware that Mr. Dix here proposed 
visiting you. Can I have the pleasure of a few wx>rds 
on business of great importance ? ” 

“ Certainly,” said the colonel, who looked very much 


THE COMPACT SEALED. 


103 


amused ; “ but may I ask if it is concerning the purchase 
of {be mine ? ” 

“ To be frank, sir, yes, it is. On behalf of a client, but 
— but you don’t mean that I am too late ? ” 

There was a look of misery in the new-comer’s face 
that was comical, and before the colonel could speak he 
went on : 

44 Don’t be rash, sir, pray don’t be rash. You cannot 
have closed yet, and I am here prepared not merely to 
negotiate, but to come to the most advantageous terms 
for you.” 

Mr. Dix chuckled, rubbed his hands, and gave the 
new-comer a look which seemed to sting him to the core. 

44 I need hardly say, gentlemen,” said the colonel, 
“ that this visit has taken me quite by surprise. I did 
not expect these sudden offers from what seem to me 
to be rival companies.” 

44 Hardly rival companies, sir, but I must say that Mr. 
Dix has taken a very unfair advantage of me, after we 
had agreed to a truce.” 

44 Yes; one which T knew you would break, Brown- 
son,” said Dix, 44 and so I came on first. Now, Colonel 
Pendarve, you will come to terms with me?” 

44 No, sir,” said the colonel fiercely, 44 nor with your 
friend here. My mind is quite made up. I do not 
know to which party the visit of a spy is due, but you 
may take these words as final : I shall certainly not sell 
this little estate to either of you, nor,” he added after a 
pause, 44 to any one else. What, another?” he cried, as 
Dolly reappeared at the door.” 

44 No, sir; it ’s only Major Jollivet, sir. But he says if 
you ’re engaged he ’ll call again.” 


104 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“Show him in,” cried the colonel. “Ah, there he 
goes. Call him back, Gwyn.” 

The boy flew to the window, and in answer to 
his call the major came back and entered by the 
window. 

“ Oh, T did n’t wish to interrupt you, Pendarve, but 
I wanted to have a few words with you on business. 
Eh? Yes. Very much better. I shall be all right for 
a few months now.” 

“Let me introduce you,” said the colonel. “This is 
Mr. Dix, solicitor, of Plymouth, and Mr. Brown son, also 
a solicitor, I presume, of the same town. My old friend 
and brother-officer, Major Jollivet.” 

Bows were exchanged and the visitors scowled at 
each other. 

“Jollivet, these two gentlemen, who represent differ- 
ent companies as clients, have come over to make me a 
very advantageous offer for this little estate.” 

“ Indeed ! ” said the major, starting. “ What for?” 

“ They wish to reopen the mine, and are ready to give 
me my own price.” 

“ Certainly,” said Mr. Dix. 

“ Yes, certainly,” said Mr. Brownson, “ with, gentle- 
men, the addition of a royalty on our part on all the 
metal smelted. Come, Dix, that ’s trumps.” 

“Yes, sir, but this is the ace. Colonel Pendarve, T 
will guarantee you double the royalty Mr. Brownson 
offers,” said Dix. 

“ Come, that ’s business, gentlemen,” said the colonel, 
smiling, while Gwyn’s face was scarlet with excitement. 
“ Now, Jollivet, as the man whom I always consult on 
business matters, and irrespective of anything I may 


THE COMPACT SEALED. 


105 


have said to these gentlemen, what would you advise 
me to do ? ” 

“Ah,” exclaimed Dix, rubbing his hands, “what 
would you advise him to do, general? ” 

“ Major, sir, major,” said the old officer shortly. 

“Yes, Major Jollivet,” said Mr. Brownson, “what 
would you advise him to do ? Surely to take our fair 
and liberal offer. We are very old-established, and 
shall carry that old mine to a triumphant success. 
What would you advise?” 

“ Oh, Major J ollivet, don’t advise him to sell,” 
whispered Gwyn. 

“ Silence, sir ! How »dah you interfere ! ” cried the 
major. “ Pendarve, if this boy speaks again, send him 
away.” 

“ Oh, he will not hurt,” said the colonel. “ Now what 
do you say ? ” 

“ Ahem ! ” coughed the major, and then he took out 
an India bandanna silk handkerchief and blew his nose 
with a blast like that of a trumpet heralding a charge. 
“I say, gentlemen, that my old friend Colonel Pen- 
darve and I are very much obliged to you for your 
offer, which is one that we refuse without the smallest 
hesitation.” 

“ I will increase my offer, gentlemen. I did not know 
that Colonel Pendarve had a partner.” 

“ I will double mine, gentlemen,” cried Brownson. 

“ Gwyn,” said the colonel, “ never mind the license ; 
you had better jump on the table and play auctioneer.” 

“ By all means,” cried Dix, “ and knock it down to 
the highest bidder.” 

“No,” roared the major. “Keep your place, boy. 


106 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


Out of the question. The mine is not for sale. Colonel 
Pendarve and I are going to carry it on ourselves.” 

“ What ! ” cried the two lawyers in a breath. 

u Jollivet and Pendarve, of the Ydoll Mine,” cried 
the colonel excitedly. 

“ That ’s it, the other way on,” said the major. “ Your 
own proposal — do you hold to it? I came to ask you if 
you would, before I knew these people were here. Now 
then, what do you say ? ” 

“Jollivet and Pendarve.” 

“Pendarve and Jollivet, or I won’t play,” cried the 
major. 

“ As you wish,” said the colonel. “ There ’s my hand 
and seal.” 

“And mine,” cried the major, seizing the hand ex- 
tended to him. 

“ Don’t, don’t say that, gentlemen,” cried Dix wildly. 
“ It may mean ruin to you both.” 

“And destruction,” cried Brownson. 

“Very well,” said the major. “We ’re old soldiers ; 
we ’ll face all, as we ’ve often faced death. Pen, old 
man, for the sake of the boys.” 

“For the sake of the boys,” cried the colonel. 

And the next minute the two mining companies’ agents 
were bowed out, while Gwyn leaped on a chair to shout 
“ Hurrah !'” just as the window was darkened and a 
voice cried: 

“ Is father here ? ” 

It was not long before Joe heard the news. 


A SUSPICION OF EVIL . 


107 


CHAPTER XIV. 

A SUSPICION OF EVIL. 

The result of that morning’s work was that Sam 
Hardock received a message from the colonel delivered 
by Gwyn, and the man rubbed his hands gleefully. 

44 I thought he could n’t refuse such a chance,” cried 
Hardock. 44 It ’s a big fortune for him.” 

44 I hope so,” said Gwyn ; 44 but how came those people 
at Plymouth to hear about it? ” 

44 1 dunno, sir. But they got hold of the gashly news 
somehow.” 

44 You did not send them word, of course? ” 

44 Me? Not I, sir.” 

44 But how could that man have heard of it, and come 
over to sound the mine and examine the place ? ” 

44 What man ? ” said Hardock anxiously. 

Gwyn explained, and in answer to questions the lad 
gave a pretty good description of his awkward adversary. 

Hardock struck his fist upon the table. 

44 That ’s the chap. I often wondered who he was. 
Been hanging about here these two months past.” 

44 Then you did tell him.” 

44 Me, Master Gwyn? Not a bit of it. Am too close.” 

44 Then you must have talked about it to other people 
and he picked up what you said. But there, come along. 
He will not get it now.” 


108 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


44 He must have been sent by some one out Plymouth 
way, that ’s for certain, sir. But come along. I want 
to hear what the colonel has to say.” 

44 And the major, too.” 

44 Why, he ’s not in it, sir, is he ? ” 

44 Of course ! He will be my father’s partner.” 

Hardock whistled, and was very silent all the way up 
to the house by Ydoll Cove. 

He was talkative enough, though, when he came away, 
but in a very mysterious fashion. 

44 It’s all right, Mr. Gwyn,” he whispered. 44 Going 
to be a very big thing. I must n’t talk about it, but 
you ’re like one of us, and I may tell you. I ’m off to 
Truro this afternoon, to engage an old friend of mine. 
Engineer. Very big man on drying mines. He ’ll ad- 
vise on the best kind of pump to have.” 

The engineer came, examined the shaft, gave his 
opinions, and in a week’s time masons were at work 
setting up an engine-house, ready for the steam 
machinery that was to come round by ship from Liver- 
pool ; and in a short time the wild slope at the top of 
the great cliffs was invaded by quite a colony of work- 
men. The masons’ hammers were constantly chipping 
as they laboriously went on building, and raising a plat- 
form above the mouth of the shaft, while whenever a 
few rich pieces of ore that were dislodged, after possibly 
lying there many hundred years, were turned up, they 
were solemnly conveyed to the two old officers for 
examination. 

Here the two boys were soon in their element, and 
began working away with a great deal of enthusiasm in 
a small corrugated-iron shed which had been -erected in 


A SUSPICION OF EVIL. 


109 


the garden, and dignified by the name of laboratory. 
Here, to the boys’ great delight, a model furnace had 
been made, with bellows, and a supply of charcoal was 
always ready. There was a great cast-iron mortar fitted 
on a concrete stand, crucibles of various sizes, and the 
place looked quite ship-shape. 

Here both the old officers worked at assaying the ore 
brought from about the mouth of the pit, dug no one 
knew when, and, though they spent a good deal of time, 
they were very soon superseded by Gwyn and Joe. Har- 
dock gave them , a little instruction ; everything about 
the work was interesting and fresh ; and in a few weeks 
they were able to declare roughly how much pure metal 
could be obtained from a ton of the quartz which they 
broke up in the great mortar, pressing and washing and 
drying, and then melting in one of the plumbago cruci- 
bles of the laboratory. 

“ There ’s no knowing what we may yet find in that 
mine, Joe,” said Gwyn, “only we don’t know enough 
chemistry to find out.” 

“It’s metallurgy, father says,” said Joe, correcting 
him. * 

“Never mind; it’s chemistry all the same, and we 
must read more about it and try experiments. Why, we 
might get gold and silver.” 

“ What, out of a tin mine? ” said Joe derisively. 

“ Well, why not? I don’t know about the gold, but 
we may, perhaps. Sam Hardock said there were some 
specks in one bit of quartz he brought up.” 

“ But we should n’t want specks : we should want 
lumps.” 

“ There ’s sure to be silver. 


110 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Why ? ” said Joe. 

“ Because there ’s lead, and I was reading with father 
about how much silver you can get by purifying the 
lead. It’s going to be a wonderful business.” 

“Hope so,” said Joe; “but they’re a precious long 
while getting the machinery together, and my father 
says the cost is awful.” 

“ Can’t get a great pump in a mine ready to work like 
you can one in a back kitchen,” said Gwyn. “ See what 
an awkward job it is fitting the platforms for the tubing. 
I think they ’re doing wonders, seeing what a lot there is 
to get ready. Sam says, though, that he believes they ’ll 
begin pumping next week.” 

But next week came round and they did not begin 
pumping, for the simple reason that the machinery was 
not ready. Still it was in fair progress, and an arrange- 
ment was fixed so that when a beam began to rise and 
fall the water would be sent gushing into the adit by 
which Gwyn had made his escape on that adventurous 
day ; and as this little gully had a gentle slope towards 
the sea, the water would be easily got rid of by its own 
natural flow. 4 

The boys were at the mouth of the shaft on that par- 
ticular day, and as the news had been spread that the 
first steps for drying the mine were to be taken, half the 
people from the little village had sauntered up, many of 
them being fisher-folk, and plenty of solemn conversa- 
tion went on, more than one weather-beaten old sage 
giving it as his opinion that no good would come of it, 
for there was something wicked and queer about this old 
mine, and they all opined that it ought not to have been 
touched. 


A SUSPICION OF EVIL. 


Ill 


Gwyn noticed the head-shakings and nudged Joe. 

“ Talking about the goblins in the mine,” lie answered. 
“ I say, if there are any they ’ll come rushing up the big 
tube like the tadpoles did in the garden pump when it 
was first made.” 

Just then Joe caught hold of his companion’s arm and 
pinched it. 

“ Halloo ! ” cried Gwyn. 

“ Hush ! don’t talk — don’t look till I tell you which 
way. I ’ve just seen him.” 

“Seen whom?” said Gwyn wonderiifgly. 

“ That big chap who was measuring the pit. He ’s 
over yonder with about a dozen more men. What does 
it mean ? ” 

“Mischief,” said Gwyn huskily. “Quick!- let’s go 
and warn my father.” 

“ What about ? He may only have come up to see.” 

“ I don’t know,” said Gwyn excitedly. “ Some one 
who wanted to get the mine must have sent them up 
first of all, and as they could n’t get it I ’m afraid 
they ’ve turned spiteful and may try to do us harm. 
What would they do, do you think ? ” 

“ Try and damage the machinery, perhaps,” said 
Joe. 

“Yes, that’s it. We must warn father and keep an 
eye on those fellows, or there ’s no knowing what they 
may do. Where are they now ? ” 

“Can’t see them,” said Joe, after a glance round. 
“ They must have gone.” 

“Yes, but where? Not to the engine-house, surely. 
Why, they might upset the whole thing and do no end 
of damage if they liked. Come on and let ’s make sure 


112 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


that they are not there, and then tell Sam Hardock to 
keep watch.” 

Joe had another look round the now thoroughly trans- 
formed place, with its engine-house, sheds, and solid 
scaffold and wheel over the built-up shaft, but he saw 
nothing and said so ; but Gwyn was not satisfied, for a 
peculiar feeling of dread oppressed him. 

“ It is n’t easy to see, for the people and the buildings. 
Ah, there ’s father — let ’s go and tell him what we 
think.” 

It was quite time, for the hero of the measuring and 
another sour-looking fellow were making their way 
round to where the two boilers were beginning to be 
charged with steam, and, what was worse for all con- 
cerned, no one paid any heed to their movements, which 
were furtive and strange, suggesting that they had not 
come for the purpose of doing good, while their oppor- 
tunities for doing a serious ill were ample ; and Gwyn 
had just grasped that fact. 


IN THE ENGINE-HOUSE. 


113 


CHAPTER XV. 

IN THE ENGINE-HOUSE. 

The boys hardly spoke as they made their way 
towards the engine-house, from whence came a loud hiss- 
ing noise; and on hearing this Joe exclaimed excitedly : 

“ He ’s there.” 

For answer Gwyn ran to the door and entered, hardly 
knowing what he was about to do, but with the feeling 
that this man was a natural enemy whom it was his duty 
to attack ; and, like a true comrade, Joe followed closely 
at his heels. 

The hissing noise increased as they approached the 
door; and, fully alive as he was to the danger of med- 
dling with steam, Gwyn’s heart began to beat a little 
faster, for he felt that they were too late, that the 
mischief had been done, the steam was escaping, and 
that if they entered the house it might be at the expense 
of a terrible scalding. 

All else was silent, and as they reached the doorway 
of the place the shrill, shrieking noise was piercing and 
made their words difficult to hear. 

“ He has broken something, or turned on the steam so 
that it may escape, Joe,” said Gwyn. “ Shall we go in 
and try and put it right ? ” 

“ If we must. But where ’s the engine-driver ? ” 

Gwyn looked round, to see that the people were 


114 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


crowding about the shaft where the great pump was to 
be set in motion, and where work-people were still 
busy trying to get it ready. Hammers were chinking, 
spanners and screw-wrenches rattling on nuts, and the 
work in progress was being patiently watched, the 
engine-house and boilers being for the time unnoticed. 

“ Perhaps he ’s in here, after all,” said Gwyn at last, 
with a gasp. “ Shall we go in ? ” 

Joe hesitated while you might have counted ten, and 
he looked despairingly round as if in the hope of seeing 
something that would check him and render the venture 
unnecessary, for there was the sound as of a thousand 
snakes hissing wildly, and to one unused to the behavior 
of engine-boilers, all this seemed preliminary to a terrible 
explosion, with possible death for those who went 
inside. 

“Yes, we must go in,” said the boy at last; and as 
Gwyn made an effort to summon his courage and dashed 
through the door, he followed. 

The noise was now almost deafening, and at a glance 
they saw that the steam was escaping furiously from the 
two long boilers at the end farthest from where they 
stood, but the new, bright engine with its cylinders, pis- 
tons, rods, cranks, driving-wheel, and eccentric seemed 
to be perfectly safe. 

“ He has been in and driven a pickaxe into each of 
the boilers,” cried Joe. “ They ’ll blow up together. 
Shall we run ?” 

The boy’s words were almost drowned by the fierce 
hissing, which was now mingled with a deep bass formed 
by a loud humming, throbbing sound such as might be 
made by a Brobdingnagian tea-kettle just ready for use. 


IN THE ENGINE-HOUSE. 


115 


Then came lond cracking and spitting sounds and the 
dull roar of the big fires. 

But the man of whom they were in search was invisi- 
ble, and, summoning up his courage, Gwyn walked 
round to the other side of the engine and looked down 
that side of the long engine-house. 

Joe followed. 

It was darker here, and the steam which filled the 
open roof and was passing out of a louver hung lower, 
so that the far end was seen through a mist. 

“ Not here,” said Gwyn. “Think we could stop the 
steam escaping ? ” 

“ Don’t know,” shouted back Joe. “ Shan’t we be 
scalded to death?” 

“ Let ’s go and try.” 

That was enough for Joe, who felt as if he would have 
given anything for the power to rush out, but seemed 
held there by his companion’s example. 

“ Go on, then,” he panted out ; and Gwyn had taken a 
couple of steps into the hot mist, his heart throbbing 
violently with the great dread of ignorance, when be- 
yond the mist, which was looking light in front of the 
door at the far end, there was a heavy, quick step. 
They could see a dark, shadowy figure which looked of 
gigantic proportions through the hanging steam, and 
heard the crackling and crushing of coal under its 
feet as it descended the stone steps into the stone hall. 
This was followed by the rattling of an iron bar quickly 
used, the rattle and clang of an iron door being thrown 
open, and a sudden glare of brilliant light turned the 
cloud of steam from gray to ruddy gold. 

“ Halloo there ! ” shouted a voice, evidently from the 


116 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


door by which the boys had entered ; and in an instant 
there was a rush of feet, the crackling of the coal on 
the granite steps, and they saw the dark shadow once 
more as it darted out through the far door. 

At the same instant there were heavy steps going 
along on the other side of the boilers to the stoke-hole, 
and a loud exclamation heard above the hissing and 
shrieking of the steam. Then came the crackling of 
the coal-dust, the rattle of an iron implement, the fur- 
nace was closed with a clang, and the steam between 
the boys and the far door changed back to gray once 
more. 

The next instant, as they went on, they were face to 
face with the big bluff engine-driver, who shouted at 
them : 

“ Oh, it ’s you two young gents, is it ? W ell, all I ’ ve 
got to say is that if you ’re to come here meddling and 
playing your larks, some one else may tend the bilers, 
for I won’t.” 

“We haven’t done anything,” cried Gwyn hotly. 

“ What ! ” roared the man. “ When I came and 
ketched you fooling about with that fire-door ! Do you 
know that you might have made the fire rage away if 
you got stoking hard, and perhaps blow up the whole 
place ? There ’s too much pressure on now.” 

“ Will you let me speak ! ” cried Gwyn angrily. “We 
came in because something was wrong, and no one near 
to see to the steam.” 

“ Yes, there now ! I only just went to that clumsy lot 
at the pump to see if they meant to start it to-day, be- 
cause if they did n’t soon I should have to damp down. 
Twelve o’clock, they said, and as I told Sam Hardock, 


IN THE ENGINE-HOUSE. 


117 


there was I ready for them, but I s’pose he means twelve 
o’clock to-morrow. And when I comes back I find you 
young gents playing the fool. D’ yer want a big 
burst ? ” 

“ No ! ” cried Gwyn, who had striven twice to stop 
the indignant flow of words. “ I tell you we came in 
because something was wrong — to try and stop ” — 

“Wrong ? Yes, you meddling with the furnace.” 

“We did not, I tell you.” 

“What? Well, if you young gents can’t tell a good^ 
thumper I ’m a Dutchman. Why, I heard you at the 
furnace door, and as soon as I shouted I hears you both 
roosh up the steps. Then I came round and here you 
are. Better say you did n’t leave the door open.” 

“ I do say so,” shouted Gwyn, who had hard work to 
make himself heard above the steam. 

“ Oh, all right then ! You ’re the governors’ sons. 
Burst the bilers if you like — they arn’t mine.” 

“ Will you listen? ” cried Gwyn. 

“ Why, I am a-listening, arn’t I ? ” cried the man. 
“ All right, it warn’t you then, and it must ha’ been one 
o’ they big Cornish tomcats.” 

“ Don’t talk like a donkey,” cried Gwyn, who had lost 
his temper now. “ I tell you we came in because some- 
thing was wrong.” 

“ Very,” said the man. 

“ The steam was hissing horribly, as you hear it now. 
Arn’t you going to try and stop it? ” 

“Stop it?” said the man. “What for? Want me 
to blow the place up ? ” 

“ Of course not, but I want you to stop up those 
holes.” 


118 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ You don’t know what you ’re talking about, squire, 
or else it ’s to throw me off the scent.” 

“ I know the steam ’s escaping horribly.” 

u Yes; all waste through them not finishing that 
pump.” 

•“Then try and stop it.” 

“ Stop it ! Don’t I tell you there ’s too much pressure 
on as it is.” 

“It’s the safety- valves open, Ydoll,” said Joe, with 
his lips to his companion’s ear. 

“ Oh ! ” ejaculated Gwyn, as he grasped the truth. 
“ I thought something was wrong.” 

“ I know something was wrong, and without thinking, 
young squire,” said the man. “ But you take my 
advice, and don’t you meddle with anything here 
again.” 

“ I have told you we did not touch anything ; but I 
suppose it ’s no use to talk to you,” said Gwyn warmly. 

“ No, sir, not a bit,” replied the man gruffly ; “ and I 
shall speak to the governor about you two coming 
meddling.” 

“ And I shall speak to my father about your not being 
here taking care of the engines,” said Gwyn, as a part- 
ing shot. “ If you had been at your duty, no one would 
have had a chance to meddle. So we will see what he 
says.” 


AN ATTACK OF NERVES. 


119 


CHAPTER XVI. 

AN ATTACK OF NERVES. 

“ That was a topper for him, Ydoll,” said Joe, as 
they stood outside. “ Phew ! What a hot, stuffy place 
it is ! ” 

“We were the first there, Joe,” said Gwyn, who had 
not heard his companion’s words. “ But what was he 
going to do?” 

“ Who going to do — that chap ? ” 

“Yes. I’m sure he meant mischief of some kind. 
I ’ll speak to father. He won’t interfere with the people 
coming to-day, because it ’s like a sight, this beginning ; 
but afterwards he ’ll have to give orders for no one but 
the work-people to come.” 

“Halloo, what’s this?” cried Joe. 

For a shout arose, and a man stood forward from the 
crowd, making signals. 

“ 1 know — they want the steam turned on.” 

Gwyn stepped back to the mouth of the temporary 
engine-house, told the driver, and he connected a band 
with the shaft ; this started another long band, and the 
power was communicated to the pump, with the result 
that a huge wheel began to turn, a massive rod was set 
in motion, and a volley of cheers arose, for with a steady, 
heavy clanking sound the first gallons of water were 
raised, to fall gushing into the cistern-like hole, and then 


120 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


begin to flow steadily along the adit ; the boys, after a 
glance or two down the dense shaft, now one network of 
upright ladder and platform, hurrying oft* to where a 
series of ladders had been affixed to the face of the cliff, 
and down which they went to reach a strongly built 
platform at the mouth of the adit. 

It was now quite unlike the spot on which Gwyn had 
knelt a few months before while waiting for help to 
come and rescue him from his perilous position, and he 
thought of it as he descended the carefully secured lad- 
ders connected with the rock-face by means of strong 
iron stanchions. 

“Rather different this, Joe,” he said. “Better than 
hanging at the end of a rope. Why, it ’s safe as safe.” 

“ So long as you don’t let go,” was the reply from 
above. 

“Well, don’t you let go, or you’ll be knocking me 
off. I say, I wonder what the birds think of it all.” 

“Don’t seem to mind it much,” replied Joe. “ But I 
suppose we shan’t leave these ladders here when the mine- 
shaft is all right.” 

“No, because we shall go along the adit that way. 
Father says Sam Hardock wants the gallery widened a 
little so that a tramway can be laid down, and then he ’ll 
run trucks along it and tilt all the rubbish into the sea.” 

“Yes, young gentlemen, that ’s the way,” said a voice 
below them. “ So you ’re coming down to have a look ? ” 

“I say, Sam, you startled me,” cried Gwyn. “Well, 
how does the pump work ? ” 

“Splendidly, sir; here’s a regular storm of water 
coming along and running into the sea like a cascade, 
as they call it. Only ten more steps, sir. That’s it. 


AN ATTACK OF NERVES . 


121 


Mind how you come ; there ’s none too much room here. 
W e must have a strong rail all round, or there ’ll be 
some accident. Two more steps, Mr. Joe. That’s the 
way. Now then, sir, don’t this look business-like ? ” 

The boys were standing now on the platform, which 
was supported by struts sloping to the rock below ; and 
through an opening between them and the mouth of the 
adit the water came running out bright and clear, to 
plunge down the face of the cliff in a volume which 
promised well for draining the mine. 

“ Why, it won't take long to empty the place at this 
rate,” cried Joe, as he knelt upon the platform and 
gazed down at the falling water, which dropped sheer 
for about twenty feet, then struck the rock, glanced off 
and fell the rest of the way in a broken sheet of foam 
which rapidly changed into a heavy rain. 

“ No, sir, it won’t take very long,” said Hardock. 
“ A few weeks, I suppose, because as it lowers we shall 
have to put down fresh machinery to reach it, and so on 
right to the sump at the bottom.” 

“ Oh, but a few weeks ? ” said Gwyn, in a tone of 
doubt. 

“Well, say months then, sir. Nobody can tell. If 
you gave me a plan of the mine on paper, with the 
number and size of the galleries, I could tell you pretty 
exactly ; but of course we don’t know. There may be 
miles of workings at different levels, and on the other 
hand there may be not, only the shaft, and that we can 
soon master.” 

“ But suppose that there ’-s a hole into it from the 
sea ? ” said Joe, looking up from where he knelt, with a 
droll look of inquiry in his eyes. 


122 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Why, then we shall want more pumps and a fresh 
place to put the water in,” said Gwyn, laughing. 
“ Rather too big a job for you that, Sam Hardock.” 

“Oh, I don’t know, sir. We might p’r’aps find out 
where the gashly hole was, and put a big cork in it. 
But let ’s try first and see. What do you say to coming 
through to the shaft and having a look whether the 
water’s beginning to lower.” 

“ But we shall get our feet so wet.” 

“ Bah ! What ’s a drop o’ water, my lad, when there ’s 
a big bit o’ business on? Have off' your shoes and stock- 
ings, then. I ’ve got a light.” 

“ Will you come, Joe? ” 

“ Of course, if you ’re going,” said the boy sturdily, as 
if it were a matter beyond question. “ But you have n’t 
told Sam about the engine-house.” 

“ What about it ? ” said the man anxiously. “ What ! ” 
he continued, on hearing what they had noticed. 
“ That ’s bad, my lads, that ’s bad, and they mean mis- 
chief. But I don’t see what harm he could have done 
to the fire, only burnt himself, and sarve him right. 
Wanted to see perhaps how our bilers was set. I know 
that chap, though — met him more than once when I ’ve 
been here and there in different towns talking to folk of 
a night over a pipe, when I was looking for work, you 
know. One of those chaps, he seemed to be, as is always 
hanging about with both ears wide open to see what they 
can ketch. I fancy he had something to do with those 
two gents as came over to buy the mine. I arn’t sure, 
but 1 think that ’s it.” 

“ I feel quite sure,” said Gwyn emphatically. 

“Ve-ry well, then, sir, what we’ve got to do is to 


AN ATTACK OF NERVES. 


123 


keep him off our premises so that he don’t get picking 
up our notions of working the old mine. He ’s after 
something, or he would n’t be here to-day. Regular old 
mining-hand he is, and I daresay he was squinting over 
our machinery, and he wants to see the pumping come 
to nought. Just please him. But look at this — is n’t it 
fine ? ” 

He pointed to the steady stream of clear water rush- 
ing toward them and falling downward, glittering in the 
sunshine. “ Ready to go in with me ? ” 

For answer the two boys took off their boots and socks 
and stood them in a niche in the rock, while Hardock 
passed in through the mouth of the adit ; and directly 
after he had disappeared in the darkness, he reappeared 
in the midst of a glow of light produced by a lantern he 
had placed behind a piece of rock. 

^ Come on, my lads,” he said ; and the two boys stepped 
in, with the cold water gurgling about their feet, and 
stooping to avoid striking their heads against the roof of 
the low gallery. 

“ One o’ the first things I mean to have done is to set 
the men to cut a gully along here for the water to run 
in, for I daresay we shall always have to keep the pump 
going. Then the water can keep to itself, and we shall 
have a dry place for the trucks to run along.” 

44 But this place won’t be used much,” said Gwyn as 
he followed the man, and kept on thinking about his 
strange feelings as he crept along there in the darkness 
toward the light after his terrible fall. 

44 1 don’t know so much about that, my lad. Of 
course it will be splendid for getting rid of our rubbish ; 
the trucks can be tilted and away it will go ; but what ’s 


124 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


to prevent us from loading ships with ore out below 
there in fine weather ? But we shall see.” 

It was a strange experience to pass out of the brill- 
iant sunshine into the black cold tunnel through the 
rock, with the water bubbling about their feet and a 
creepy, gurgling, whispering sound coining toward 
them in company with a heavy, dull clanking as the 
huge pump worked steadily on. Try how he would to 
be firm, and forcing himself to fall back upon the knowl- 
edge of what was taking place, there was still the feel- 
ing that this little stream of water was only the advance 
guard, and that at any moment it might increase to a 
rushing flood which would sweep them away, dashing 
them on headlong from the mouth of the gallery to fall 
into the sea. 

But there in front was the black outline of Hardock’s 
stooping figure, with the lantern held before him and 
making the water flash and sparkle, while from time to 
time the man held up the lantern and pointed to a glit- 
tering appearance in the roof or on the walls. 

44 Ore,” he said, with a chuckle. 44 1 did n’t come to your 
father, Master Gwyn, with empty hands, did I ? Well, I ’m 
glad he woke up to what it ’s all worth. Here we are.” 

He stopped short, for they had come to the shaft, and 
the light showed up the strong beams and wet iron ties 
which held the machinery in place. There were a couple 
of men here too, with lanterns hanging from what 
seemed to be a cross-beam. On their right was a wet- 
looking ladder the rounds of which glistened, and this 
ran up into darkness, where a platform had been fixed 
with a square hole where the top of the ladder rested, the 
light from above being almost entirely cut off. 


AN ATTACK OF NERVES. 


125 


The men said something to Hardock, but their words 
were almost inaudible in the rattle and clank of the 
great pump, and the wash and rush of the water as it 
was drawn into a huge trough and rushed from it into 
the adit. 

Hardock gave them a nod in reply, and then signed to 
the boys as he swung his lantern. 

“ Come and look here,” he shouted ; and with their 
bare feet slipping on the wet planks that were just 
loosely laid across the beams fitted into the old holes, 
cut no one knew when in the sides of the shaft, they 
went down where Hardock dropped on his knees so as 
to hold the lantern down through an opening so that 
the light was reflected from the water, whose level was 
about a foot below where they now stood. 

“ See that? ” he shouted so as to make his voice heard. 

u What, the water ? ” cried Gwyn. “ Yes.” 

“No, no; my mark that I made in the wall with a 
pick?” 

“ Oh, yes ; the granite looks quite white,” said Gwyn, 
as he looked at the roughly cut notch some six inches 
long. 

“ How far is the water below it ? ” cried Hardock. 

“ About seven inches, eh, Joe ? ” 

“Nearly eight.” 

“ Then you may go up and tell your father the good 
news. He ’ll like to hear it from you. Tell him that 
we ’ve lowered the water seven inches since the pump 
started, and if nothing goes wrong we shall soon be 
making a stage lower down.” 

“ But what should go wrong?” said Joe, who looked 
full of excitement. 


126 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ A hundred things, my lad. Machinery ’s a ticklish 
thing, and as for a mine yon never know what ’s going 
to happen from one hour to another. Go on up with 
you both, my lads ; it’s news they ’ll be glad to hear and 
you ought to be proud to take it.” 

“We are,” cried Gwyn heartily. “It’s splendid, 
Sam. You have done well.” 

“ Tidy, my lad, tidy. Will you go up the ladder here ? ” 

“No,” said Gwyn, “we ’ve left our shoes and stock- 
ings outside.” 

“Very well; go that way, then.” 

“ Yes,” said Joe ; “ it ’s better than going up the shaft ; 
the ladders look so wet, and the water drops upon you. 
I saw it dripping yesterday. Come on.” 

He stepped into the adit and Gwyn followed. 

“ Don’t want a light, I s’pose ? ” said Hardock. 

“ Oh, no ; we shall see the sunshine directly,” said 
Gwyn, and the two boys retraced their wet steps, soon 
caught sight of the light shining in, and made their way 
out to the platform, where they sat down in the sunshine 
to wipe their feet with their handkerchiefs and then put 
on socks and. boots, each giving his feet a stamp as he 
rose erect. 

“My feet are like ice,” said Joe. “Isn’t the water 
cold?” 

“They ’ll soon get warm climbing up these ladders,” 
said Gwyn ; “ but steady ; don’t jump about. This plat- 
form does n’t seem any too safe. I ’ll ask father to 
have a stout rail put round. Shall I go first ? ” 

“No; you came down first,” said Joe. “My turn 
now, but I say I’da deal rather go up and down in a 
bucket. What a height it seems ! ” 


AN ATTACK OF NERVES. 


127 


“Well, make it less,” said Gwyn. “Up with you; 
don’t stand looking at it. I want to be at the top.” 

“ So do I,” said Joe, as he stood holding on by one of 
the rounds of the ladder; they two and the platform 
looking wonderfully small on the face of that immense 
cliff, the platform bearing a striking resemblance to 
some little bracket nailed against a wall. 

Then, uttering a low sigh, Joe began to mount steadily, 
and as soon as he was a dozen feet up Gwyn followed 
him. 

“It does n’t do to look upwards, does it?” said Joe 
suddenly, when they had been climbing for about half 
a minute. 

“Well, don’t think about it, then. And don’t talk. 
You want all your breath for a job like this.” 

Joe was silent, and the only sounds heard were the 
scraping of their shoes on the wooden spells, and the 
cawing of the gulls squabbling over some wave-tossed 
weed far below. 

Then, all at once, when he was about half-way up, 
Joo suddenly stopped short, and Gwyn did not notice 
it till his cap was within a few inches of the other’s 
boots. 

“ Well, go on,” he said cheerily. “ What’s the matter 
— out of breath ? ” 

“ No.” 

“ Eh ? What is it — what ’s the matter ? ” said Gwyn, 
for he was startled by the tone in which the word was 
uttered. 

“I — I don’t know,” came back in a hoarse whisper 
which sent a shudder through Gwyn, as he involuntarily 
glanced down at the awful depth behind him. It ’s the 


128 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


cold water, I think. One of my feet has gone dead, and 
the other ’s getting numb. Gwyn — Gwyn ! Here, 
quick ! I don’t know what I’m — quick — help ! I ’m 
going to fall.” 


GWYN SHOWS HIS METTLE. 


129 


CHAPTER XVII. 

GWYN SHOWS HIS METTLE. 

Too much horrified for the moment even to speak, 
Gwyn grasped the sides of the ladder with spasmodic 
strength, his eyes dilated, his jaw dropped, and he clung 
there completely paralyzed. Then his mental balance 
came back as suddenly as he had lost it, and feeling 
once more the strong healthy lad he was, it came to him 
like a flash that it was impossible that Joe Jollivet, his 
companion in hundreds of rock-climbing expeditions 
where they had successfully made their way along places 
which would have given on-lookers what is known as the 
“ creeps,” could be in the danger he described ; and with 
a merry laugh he cried : 

“ Get out ! Go on, you old humbug, or I ’ll get a pin 
out of my waistcoat and give you the spur.” 

There was no response. 

“ Do you hear, old Jolly wet ? I say, you know, this 
isn’t the sort of place for playing larks. Wait till 
we ’re up, and I ’ll give you such a warming ! ” 

Then the chill of horror came back, for Joe said in a 
whisper whose tones swept away all possibility of his 
playing tricks : 

“ I ’m not larking. I can’t stir.” 

“ I tell you you are larking,” cried Gwyn fiercely. 


180 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Such nonsense ! Go on up, or I ’ll drive a pin into you 
right up to the head.” 

The cold chill increased now and Gwyn shuddered, 
for Joe said faintly : 

44 Do please — it might give me strength.” 

The vain hope that it might be all a trick was gone^ 
and Gwyn was face to face with the horror of their 
position. He looked down and there was the platform 
with the water splashing and glittering in the sunshine 
as it struck upon the rock ; and he knew that no help 
could come from that direction, for Hardock was at the 
pump in the shaft. He looked up to the top of the cliff 
and no one was there, for the people were all gathered 
about the top of the shaft and no one was likely to come 
and look over and see their position. If help was to 
come to the boy above him, that help must come from 
where he stood ; and with the recollection of his own 
peril when he was being hauled up by the rope forcing 
itself upon him, he began to act with a feeling of des- 
peration which was ready to rob him of such nerve as he 
possessed. 

A clear and prompt action was necessary, as he knew 
only too well, and, setting his teeth hard together, he 
went on up without a word, step by step, as he leaned 
back to the full stretch of his arms, and reached to where 
he could just force his feet one on either side of his 
companion, the spell of the ladder just affording suffi- 
cient width, and then pressing Joe close against the 
rounds with his heavily throbbing heart, he held on in 
silence for a few moments, trying to speak, but no words 
would come. 

Meanwhile Joe remained silent and rigid, as if half 


GWYN SHOWS HIS METTLE. 


131 


insensible ; and Gwyn’s brain was active, though his 
tongue was silent, battling as he was with the question 
what to do. 

“ Oh, if those gulls would only keep away ! ” he 
groaned to himself, for at least a dozen came softly 
swooping about them, watching them, and one so close 
that the boy felt the waft of the air set in motion by its 
wings. 

Then the throbbing and fluttering at his heart grew 
less terrible, and the power to speak returned. 

With a fierce endeavor to be calm and easy, he forced 
himself to treat the position jauntily. 

“ There you are, old chap,” he cried ; “ friend in need ’s 
a friend indeed. I could hold you on like that for a 
month — five minutes,” he added to himself. Then 
aloud once more : “ Feel better ? ” 

There was no reply. 

“ Do you hear, stupid ? Feel better ? ” 

A low sigh, almost a groan, was the only answer, and 
Gwyn’s teeth grated together. 

“ Here, you Joe,” he said firmly. “ I know you can 
hear what I say, so listen: You don't want for us both 
to go down, I know, so you ’ve got to throw off the horri- 
ble feeling that ’s come over you and do what I say. 
I ’m going to hold you up like this for five minutes to 
get your wind, and then you ’ve got to start and go up 
round by round. You can’t fall, because I shall follow 
you, keeping like this and holding you on till you ’re 
better. You can hear all that, you know.” 

Joe bent his head and a peculiar quivering, catching 
sigh escaped his lips. 

u It ’s all nonsense — you want to give up over climbing 


182 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


a ladder such as we could run up. ’T is n’t like being 
on the rocks with nothing to hold on by, now is it ? 
Let ’s see : we ’re a third of the way up, and we can 
soon do it; so say when you feel ready, and then up 
you go.” 

But after a guess at the space of time named, Joe 
showed no inclination to say he was ready, but stood 
there pressed against the ladder, breathing very feebly, 
and Gwyn began to be attacked once more by the chill 
of dread. 

But he fought it back in his desperation, and in a tone 
which surprised himself he cried : 

“ Now, then ! Time ’s up ! Go on ! ” 

To his intense delight, his energy seemed to be com- 
municated to his companion; and as he hung back a 
little, Joe reached up with one hand, got a fresh hold 
there with the other, and, raising his right foot, drew 
himself slowly and cautiously up to stand on the next 
spell. 

“ Cheerily ho ! ” sang out Gwyn as he followed. “ I 
knew — I knew you could do it. Now then ! Don’t stop 
to get cold. Up you go before I get out that pin.” 

Joe slowly and laboriously began again and reached 
the next step, but Gwyn felt no increase of hope, for he 
could feel how feeble and nerveless the boy was. But 
he went on talking lightly as he followed and let the 
poor fellow feel the support of his breast. 

“ That ’s your sort. Nine inches higher. Two nine 
inches more — a foot and a half. But, I say, no games — 
don’t start off with a run and leave me behind. You ’d 
better let me go with you, in case your foot gives — 
gives way again.” 


GWYN SHOWS HIS METTLE . 


133 


That repetition of the word give was caused by a pecu- 
liar catching of Gwyn’s breath. 

“ I say,” he continued as they paused, “ this is ever 
so much better than going up those wet ladders in the 
shaft. I shall never like that way. Don’t you remem- 
ber looking down the shaft of the mine, where the hot, 
steamy mist came up and the rounds of the ladder were 
all slippery with the grease that dropped from the men’s 
candles stuck in their caps ? I do. I said it would be 
like going down ladders of ice, and that you ’d never 
catch me on them. Our way won’t be hot and steamy 
like that was, because there ’ll always be a draught of 
fresh sea-air running up from the adit. Now, then, up 
you go again ! I begin to want my dinner.” 

Joe did not stir, and Gwyn’s face turned ghastly, 
while his mouth opened ready for the utterance of a 
wild cry for help. 

But the cry did not escape, for Gwyn’s teeth closed 
with a snap, for he felt that it would result in adding to 
his companion’s despair. 

He was once more master of himself. 

“Now, then,” he cried, “I don’t want to use that 
pin. Go on, old lazy-bones.” 

The energy was transferred again, and Joe slowly 
struggled up another step, closely followed by Gwyn, 
and then remained motionless and silent. 

“You stop and let yourself get cold again,” cried 
Gwyn resolutely now. “ Begin once more and don’t 
stop. You needn’t mind, old chap. I ’ve got you as 
tight as tight. Now, then, can’t you feel how safe you 
are ? Off with you ! I shall always be ready to give 
you a nip and hold you on. Now, then, off! ” 


134 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


But there was no response. 

“ Do you hear ! This is n’t the place to go to sleep. 
Joe ! Wake up ! Go on ! Never mind your feet being 
numb. Go on pulling yourself up with your hands. 
I ’ll give you a shove to help.” 

No reply, no movement, and but for the spasmodic 
way in which the boy clung with his hands, as if in- 
voluntarily as a bird or bat clings in its sleep, he might 
have been pronounced perfectly helpless. 

“Now, once more, are you going to begin?” cried 
Gwyn, shouting fiercely now. “ Do you hear ? ” 

Still no reply, and in spite of appeal, threat, and at 
last a blow delivered heavily upon his shoulder, Joe did 
not stir, and Gwyn felt that their case was desperate 
indeed. Each time he had forced his companion to make 
an effort, it was as if the result was due to the energy he 
had communicated from his own body; but now Gwyn 
felt in his despair as if a reverse action were taking 
place and his companion’s inertia and want of nerve 
were being communicated to him, for the chilly feeling 
of despair was on the increase, and he knew now that 
poor Joe was beyond helping himself. 

“ What can I do ? ” he thought, as he once more forced 
himself to the point of thinking and acting. To get 
his companion up by his own force was impossible. 
Even if he could have carried the weight up the ladder, 
it would have been impossible to get a good hold and 
retain it, and he already felt himself growing weak from 
horror. 

What to do ? 

It would have been easy enough to climb over his 
companion and save his own life, but how could he ever 


GWYN SHOWS HIS METTLE. 


135 


look Major Jollivet or his father in the eyes again ? The 
momentary thought was dismissed on the instant to the 
place from whence it came, as being cowardly and un- 
worthy of an English lad. But what to do ? 

If he could have left him for a few minutes, he could 
have either gone up or gone down and shouted for help ; 
but he knew perfectly well that the moment he left the 
boy to himself, he would fall headlong. 

“What shall I do? What shall I do?” he groaned 
aloud, and a querulous cry from one of the gulls still 
floating around them came as if in reply. 

“ Oh, if I only had a gun ! ” he cried angrily. “ Get 
out, you beasts ! Who ’s going to help ? ” 

Then he uttered a cry for help, and another and 
another, but the shouts souhded feeble and were lost in 
space, while more and more it was forced upon him that 
Joe was now insensible from fear and despair, his nerve 
completely gone. 

What could he do ? There seemed to be nothing but 
to hold on till Joe fell, and then for his father’s sake he 
must try and save himself. 

“ Oh, if I only had a piece of rope ! ” he muttered ; but 
he had not so much as a piece of string. There was his 
silk handkerchief — that was something; and Joe was 
wearing one, too, exactly like it, for the boys had a habit 
of dressing just alike. 

It was something to do — something to occupy his 
thoughts for a few moments ; and setting one hand free, 
he passed it round the side of the ladder, leaned toward 
it as he forced it toward his neck, his fingers seized the 
knot, — a sailor’s slip-knot, — and the next minute the 
handkerchief was loose in his hands. 


136 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


A few more busy moments, and he had taken his com- 
panion’s from his neck. Then came the knotting to- 
gether, — a task which needed the service of both hands, 
— and for a time he hesitated about setting the second 
free. 

Free he could not make it, but by clinging round the 
sides of the ladder with both arms he brought his 
hands together, and with the skill taught him by the 
Cornish fishermen he soon, without the help of his eyes, 
had the two handkerchiefs securely joined in a knot that 
would not slip, and was now possessed with a twisted 
silken cord about five feet long. 

But how slight ! Still it was of silk, and it was his 
only chance unless help came ; and of that there seemed 
to be not the slightest hope. 

He twisted the silk round and round in his hands for 
some seconds, after the fashion that he and Joe had 
observed when making a snood for their fishing-lines, 
and then passing one end round the spell that was on 
a level with Joe’s throat, he drew till both ends were of 
a length, and then tied the silken cord tightly to the 
piece of stout strong oak, letting the ends hang down. 

Joe’s hands were grasping the sides of the ladder, 
how feebly he did not know till he tried to move the 
left, when it gave way at once, and would have fallen to 
his side but for his own strong grasp. Holding it firmly, 
he passed it round the left side of the ladder, placing it 
along the spell ; and then throwing one of the silken ends 
round the wrist he drew it tight to the spell and kept it 
there, while he loosened the boy’s right hand, passed 
that round the other side so that wrist rested upon 
wrist, and the next moment the handkerchief was 


GWYN SHOWS HIS METTLE . 


137 


slipped round it and drawn tightly, binding wrist upon 
wrist. 

They were safely held so long as he kept up a tension 
upon the end of the silk ; and this with great effort he 
was able to do with his left hand, while, working in the 
opposite way, he passed the second end round the two 
wrists once, dragged it as hard as he could, and then 
tied the first portion of a simple knot. Then he dragged 
again and again, bringing his teeth to bear in holding 
the shorter end of the handkerchief, while he tugged 
and tugged till the silk cut into the boy’s flesh while 
his wrists were dragged firmly down upon the spell. 
There the second portion of the knot was tied ; and 
feeling that Joe could not slip, he bound the longer end 
round again twice, brought the first end to meet it, 
and once again tied as hard as he could. 

Breathless with the exertion of holding on by his 
crooked arms while he worked, and with the perspira- 
tion streaming down his face, he stood there panting for 
a few moments before holding on tightly and peering 
through the ladder to make sure that his knots were 
secure and the silken cord sufficiently tight to stay Joe’s 
wrists from being dragged through. Then he tried the 
fastening again, satisfying himself that Joe was as safe 
as hands could make him, and that his arms could not 
possibly be dragged away from the spell to which they 
were tied, even if the boy’s feet slipped from the round 
below. 

Convinced of this, Gwyn’s heart gave a throb of satis- 
faction, and he gave his comrade a slight shove. 

“You can’t fall, Joe,” he said. “I don’t want to 
leave you, but I must go for help.” 


138 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


There was no reply. 

“ Can you hear what I say ? ” cried Gwyn. 

Still no reply ; and feeling that he might safely leave 
him, Gwyn hesitated for a moment or two as to whether 
he should go up or down. 

The latter seemed to be the quicker way, and after 
descending a step or two he threw arms and legs round 
the sides of the ladder, and let himself slide to the 
platform. 

Here he stood for a moment to look up and see Joe 
hanging as he had left him. Then, stooping down, he 
entered the adit, out of which the clanging sound of the 
huge pump kept on volleying while the water kept up 
its hissing and rushing sound. 

“ Hardock ! ” he shouted with his hands to his lips, 
and the cry reverberated in the narrow passage ; but 
though he shouted again and again, his voice did not 
penetrate, on account of the sound of the pumping and 
rushing of water, and the boy had to make his way right 
to where Hardock was anxiously watching the working 
of the machinery; and as Gwyn reached him, he was 
once more holding his lantern down to see how much 
the water had fallen. 

The man gave a violent start as a hand was laid upon 
his shoulder. 

“ Come back !” shouted Hardock to make himself heard, 
and he gazed wonderingly at the boy, whose face was 
ghastly. “ Here, don’t you go and say young Master Joe 
has fallen.” 

Gwyn placed his lips to the foreman’s ear. 

“ Can’t fall yet. Send word — below — ropes — top 
of ladder at once. Danger.” 


GWYN SHOWS HIS METTLE. 


139 


Hardock waited to hear no more, but dragged at the 
wire which formed the rough temporary signal to the 
engine-house, and the great beam of the pump stopped 
its work at once, when the silence was profound save 
for a murmur high up over them at the mouth of the 
shaft. 

“ What is it, there ? ” came in a familiar voice which 
sounded dull and strange as it was echoed against the 
dripping wall. 

“ Help ! ” shouted Gwyn. “ Long ropes to the head 
of the outside ladders.” 

“ Right ! ” came back ; and it was plain from the in- 
crease in the loud noises 'that a chain was being taken. 

“ What ’s wrong ? ” came down then in another voice. 

“Joe Jollivet — danger,” shouted Gwyn, stepping 
back to reply. “ Now come on ! ” he cried to Hardock; 
and he led the way along the adit, from which, short as 
had been the time since the pump ceased working, the 
water had run off. 

No more was said as they hurried along as fast as the 
sloping position necessary allowed ; and on stepping out 
on to the platform Gwyn looked up in fear and trem- 
bling lest the silken cord should have given way, and 
fully anticipating that the ladder would be vacant. 

Hardock uttered a groan, but Gwyn had already begun 
to climb. 

“ What are you going to do, lad ? ” shouted the man 
excitedly. 

“ Go up and hold him on.” 

“ No, no ; I ’m stronger than you,” but Gwyn was 
already making his way up as fast as he could, and 
Hardock after a momentary hesitation followed. 


140 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


Before they were half-way, voices at the top were 
heard. 

“ Hold tight ! ” shouted the colonel, in his fierce mili- 
tary fashion. “ Rope ! ” 

Then an order was heard and a great coil of rope was 
thrown out so that it might fall clear of the climbers, 
whizzed away from the rock with the rings opening out, 
and directly after was hanging beside the ladder right 
to the bottom. 

There was a clever brain at work on the top of the 
cliff, for, as Gwyn climbed the ladder, the rope was 
hauled in so as to keep the end close to his hands ; 
and, seeing this, the boy uttered a sigh of relief and 
climbed on, feeling that there was hope of saving his 
comrade now. 

“ Shall I send some one down ? ” shouted the colonel, 
who was evidently in command at the top. 

“No. We’ll do it,” cried Gwyn breathlessly. “All 
right, Joe. We’re here.” 

There was no response from above him, and at every 
step Gwyn felt as if his legs were turning to lead, and a 
nightmare-like sensation came over him, of being bound 
to keep on always clambering up a tremendous ladder 
without ever reaching to where Joe was. 

And all this in the very brief space of time before he 
reached to where he had tied the insensible lad. 

Gwyn uttered a sigh like a groan as he touched Joe’s 
feet. Then without hesitating he went higher, till he 
was on a level, with his feet resting on the same spell, 
fully expecting moment by moment, as he ascended, that 
the silk would give way and Joe’s fall dash them both 
down ; and as at last he thrust his arms through the 


GWYN SHOWS HIS METTLE. 


141 


ladder on either side of the boy’s neck and then spread 
them out so as to secure them both tightly pressed 
against the spells, his head began to swim and he felt 
that he could do no more. 

His position saved him, for in those moments he could 
not have clung there by his hands — his helplessness was 
too great. 

But this was all momentary, and he was recalled to 
himself by the voice of Hardock: 

“ I say, lad, hope this ladder ’s strong enough for all 
three. Now then, what ’s next? Will you tie the rope 
round him and cast him free ? ” 

Gwyn made no reply. His lips parted and he strove 
to speak, but not a word would come. 

“D’ yer hear ? ” said Hardock. “I say, will you make 
the rope fast round him ? ” 

“ Below there ! ” came from above. “Make the rope 
fast round Joe’s chest — tight knots, mind — and send 
him up first. Be smart.” 

“ All right, sir,” shouted back Hardock, as he took hold 
of the rope swinging close to his hand. “Now then, 
Master Gwyn, don’t stand there such a gashly while 
thinking about it. Lay hold and knot it round him. 
They ’ll soon draw him away from under you.” 

Gwyn uttered an inarticulate sound, but only wedged 
his arms out more firmly. 

“Ready ?” came from above in the colonel’s voice. 

“No, nothing like,” roared Hardock. “Hold hard. 
Now, my lad, look alive. Don’t think about it, but get 
hold of the rope and draw it round his chest. Mind 
and not tie him to the ladder. Steady, for it ’s all of a 
quiver now.” 


142 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


Still Gwyn made no sign. 

44 Hi ! What ’s come to yon ! ” growled Hardock. 

44 Are you asleep below there ? ” shouted the colonel. 
44 Hold fast and I’ll send some one down.” 

44 Nay, nay,” yelled Hardock; “the ladder won’t bear 
another. I ’ll get it done directly. Now, Master 
Gwvn, pull yourself together and make this rope fast. 
IT yer hear?” 

44 Yes,” gasped the boy at last. 44 Wait a minute and 
I ’ll try.” 

44 Wait a minute and you’ll try,” repeated the man. 
44 We shall all be down directly. My word! What is 
the use o’ boys ? Hi ! Hold fast and I ’ll try and get up 
above you and tie the rope myself.” 

44 No, no,” cried Gwyn frantically. 44 You can’t climb 
over us.” 

44 Well, I must say I arn’t going to get round inside 
and try it that way. I arn’t a boy now.” 

44 No, don’t try that,” panted Gwyn breathlessly. 
44 You ’d pull us off. I ’m coming round again. I ’ll 
try soon, but I don’t seem to have any breath.” 

“Hi! below there ! What are you about?” shouted 
the colonel. 44 Make that rope fast.” 

44 Yes, sir — yes, sir — directly,” yelled Hardock. 
“You must wait.” 

44 Make it fast round Jollivet,” shouted the col- 
onel. 

44 All right, sir. Now, Master Gwyn, you hear what 
your guv’nor says ? ” 

44 Yes, I hear, Sam,” panted the lad; 44 and I am try- 
ing to do it. I ’ll begin as soon as ever I can, but I 
feel that if I let go, Joe would come down on you. He 


GWYN SHOWS HIS METTLE. 


143 


has no strength left in him, and — and I ’m not much 
better.” 

“ And you ’ll let go too,” muttered the man to himself ; 
•“ and if you do, it ’s all over with me.” 

Then aloud : 

“ Hold tight, my lad ; I ’m coming up.” 


144 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

AN IGNOMINIOUS ASCENT. 

“ Am I to send some one down ? ” cried the colonel 
angrily. 

“ No, father,” shouted Gwyn, his father’s voice seem- 
ing to give him new force. “ The ladder won’t bear 
four.” 

“ Then make fast that knot, sir. Quick, at once ! ” 

“Yes, father,” said the boy, as a thrill of energy ran 
through him and he felt as if he could once more do 
something toward relieving himself from the strange 
feeling of inertia which had fettered every sense. 

“ You get up higher,” exclaimed Hardock, “and hold 
on, my lad.” 

“ No. Keep where you are,” cried Gwyn, whose voice 
now sounded firm. “ If I leave him he ’ll go.” 

“Nay, you go on; I’ll take care o’ that,” said Har- 
dock. “Up with you ! ’ 

“ Keep down, I say,” cried Gwyn fiercely. 

“ Are you ready ? ” shouted the colonel. 

“ In another minute, father,” cried Gwyn ; and, draw- 
ing out one arm, he made a snatch at the rope, drew it 
from Hardock’s hand, and then hauled it higher by 
using his teeth as well as his right hand. 

“ Better let me come, my lad.” 

“ No,” said Gwyn shortly. 


AN IGNOMINIOUS ASCENT . 


145 


“ Ready ? ” came from above. 

“ Not quite, father. I ’ll say when.” 

That last demand gave the final fillip to the lad’s 
nerves, and, taking tightly hold of the spell above Joe’s 
head with both hands, he raised his own legs till they 
came level with Joe’s loins, and then, striding him as if 
on horseback, he crooked his legs and ankles round the 
sides of the ladder, held on by forcing his toes round a 
spell, and then, with his hands free, he hung back and 
quickly knotted the rope about Joe’s chest. 

“ Steady, my lad ; be ready to take hold,” said Har- 
dock, whose face was now streaming with perspiration, 
and his hands wet, as he looked up on the perilous posi- 
tion of Gwyn. Then, obeying a sudden thought, he 
loosened one hand, snatched off his cap and threw it 
down, and took three steps up the ladder, raising him- 
self so that he could force his head against the advent- 
urous lad, with the result that he gave him plenty of sup- 
port, relieving him of a great deal of the strain on his 
muscles, for during the next minutes he was, as it were, 
seated upon the mining captain’s head. 

“ That ’s better,” he panted. 

“ Make a good knot, lad,” said Hardock ; and all was 
perfectly silent at the edge of the cliff above them, for 
every movement was being attentively watched. 

“ Ha ! ” sighed Gwyn, as he tightened the last knot. 

“ Quite safe ? ” asked Hardock. 

“Yes, quite.” 

“What next?” 

“ Get down.” 

“ Are you right ? ” 

“Yes.” 


146 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


Hardock yielded very slowly for a while, and then 
stopped and raised himself again. 

“ What yer doing ? ” 

“ Getting out my knife. He ’s lashed to the spell.” 

“ Oh!” 

Gwyn’s hands were dripping wet, and as he tried to 
force his right into his pocket he had a hard struggle, 
for it stuck to the lining, the strain of his position 
helping to resist its passage. But at last he forced 
it in, to find to his horror that the knife was not in 
that pocket ; and he had a terrible job to drag it 
out. 

“ Can’t get at my knife,” he panted. 

“ All right — have mine,” was the answer ; and Har- 
dock took out and opened his own. “ Here you are.” 

The boy blindly lowered his hand for the knife, and 
not a whisper was heard in those critical moments, for 
every movement was scanned, and the colonel was lying 
on his chest straining his eyes as he waited to give the 
order to haul up. 

Gwyn gripped the knife, a sharp-pointed Spanish 
blade, and raised it, bending forward now so as to look 
over Joe’s shoulder to see where to cut. 

His intention was to thrust the point in between the 
silken cord and the boy’s wrists ; but he found it impos- 
sible without having both hands, and there was nothing 
for it but to saw right down. 

This he began to do just beneath the knots, hoping 
that the last part would yield before the knife could 
touch the boy’s skin. 

“Take care, my lad,” exclaimed Hardock. 

“ Yes, I ’m trying not to cut him,” replied Gwyn. 


AN IGNOMINIOUS ASCENT. 


147 


“Nay, I mean when you’re through. Hold tight 
yourself.” 

“Yes, I’ll try.” 

“ Tell ’em to make the rope quite taut.” 

“ Haul and hold fast ! ” cried Gwyn. 

“ Right ! ” came promptly from above, and a heavy 
strain was felt. 

* “ I — tied it — so tight,” muttered Gwyn as he sawed 
away, directing the edge sidewise. 

“ Ay, and his weight. Steady, my lad, steady ! ” 

“ Ha, that ’s through,” cried Gwyn. “ Be ready to 
haul.” 

“ Right,” came from above. 

“ Shall I get lower ? ” said Hardock. 

“Yes! — No! — The other knot holds him,” panted 
Gwyn; and he had to begin cutting again, but this time 
he found that by laying the blade of the knife flat he 
could force the point beneath the handkerchief. “Now 
steady, Sam,” he said. “ I ’m going to give one big cut 
and then hold on.” 

“ All right, my lad. I ’ll support you all I can, but 
you must hold tight.” 

The strain on the rope was firm and steady as Gwyn 
drew a deep breath, forced the point a little more 
through beneath the silk, raised the edge of the blade a 
little more and a little more, and then, in an agony of 
horror just as he was about to give one bold thrust, he 
let go and snatched at the ladder-side. 

For all at once there was a sharp, scraping sound. 
The silk, which had been strained like a fiddle-string 
over a bridge, parted on the edge of the keen knife, 
and as Joe’s arms dropped quite nerveless and inert, 


148 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


down went the knife and Gwyn felt that he was going 
after. For suddenly he seemed to be falling fast. 

But he was not moving — it was Joe being drawn 
upward ; and the next minute Gwyn was clinging with 
his breast now on the spells of the ladder, against which 
he was being pressed, Hardock with a rapid movement 
having forced himself up so as to occupy the same 
position as Gwyn had so lately occupied with respect 
to Joe. 

“ He ’s all right — if your knots hold,” said Hardock 
softly. “ How is it with you, my lad ? ” 

“ Out of breath, that ’s. all. I can’t look up though 
now, Sam. Watch and see if he goes up all right.” 

“No need, my lad,” said the man bitterly. “We 
should soon know if he came down. Come, hold up 
your chin and show your pluck. There ’s nothing to 
mind now. Why, you ’re all of a tremble.” 

“Yes; it isn’t that I feel frightened now,” said the 
boy, “ but all my muscles in my legs and arms are as if 
they were trembling and jerking.” 

“’Nough to make ’em,” said Hardock, sympatheti- 
cally. “Nevermind; the rope ’ll soon be down again 
— yes, they ’ve got him and they ’re letting another 
down. I ’ll soon have you fast and send you up.” 

“No, you won’t, Sam,” said Gwyn, who was rapidly 
recovering his balance. “ I have n’t forgotten the last 
knot you made round me.” 

“Well! Well! I do call that mean,” growled the 
man. “ You comes and fetches me to help, and I has to 
chuck my hat away ; then you chucks my best knife 
down after it, and now you chucks that there in my 
teeth. 1 do call it a gashly shame.” 


AN IGNOMINIOUS ASCENT. 


149 


“Never mind. I don’t want the rope at all,” said 
Gwyn. “ There, slacken your hold. I ’m going to 
walk up.” 

“Nay; better have the rope, my lad.” 

“ I don’t want the rope. I ’m tired and hot, but I can 
climb up.” 

“ Gwyn ! ” came at that moment. 

“Yes, father.” 

“ Make that rope fast round you.” 

“ I can walk up, father.” 

“ Do as I tell you, sir.” 

“ Yes, father.” 

“Just sarves you right,” exulted Hardock. “Take 
some of the gashly conceit out of you, my lad. Now 
then, I ’m going to tie you up.” 

“ No, I shall do it myself,” said Gwyn, making a 
snatch at the line lowered down. “ Now get down ! ” 

“ Oh, very well ; but don’t blame me if you fall.” 

“No fear, Sam.” 

“Nay, there ’s no fear, my lad ; but I hope we ’re not 
going to have no more o’ this sort o’ thing. There ’s 
the pumping stopped and everything out o’ gear, but 
it ’s always the way when there ’s boys about. I 
never could understand what use they were, on’y to 
get in mischief and upset the work. We shan’t get 
much tin out o’ Ydoll Mine if you two ’s going to hang 
about, I know that much. Now then, the rope arn’t 
safe.” 

“Yes, it is,” said Gwyn, who had made a loop and 
passed it over his head and arms. “I’m not going 
to swing. I’m going to walk up.” 

“Ready, my lad?” cried the colonel. 


150 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Yes, father ; but I ’ll walk up, please. You can have 
the rope hauled in as I come.” 

“ Come on, then,” cried the colonel. 

“Yes, father, coming.” 

“ Hor, hor ! ” laughed Hardock derisively, as he drew 
back to the full extent of his arms so as to set 
Gwyn free. “ Up you goes, my lad, led just like a 
puppy-dog at the end of a string. Mind you don’t 
fall.” 

“ If it was n’t so dangerous for you, I ’d kick you, 
Sam,” said Gwyn. 

“ Kick away, then, my lad ; ’t ain’t the first time I ’ve 
been on a ladder by a few thousand times. My hands 
and feet grows to a ladder like, and holds on. You 
won’t knock me off. But, I say ” — 

“What is it?” said Gwyn, who was steadily ascend- 
ing with the rope held fairly taut from above. 

“ You ’ll pay for a new hat for me?” 

“ Oh, yes, of course.” 

“ And another knife better than the one you pitched 
overboard ? ” 

“ Oh, we can come round in a boat and find that when 
the tide ’s down.” 

“ Rocks are never bare when the tide ’s down here, 
my lad. There’s always six fathom o’ water below 
here, so you would n’t lia’ been broken up if you ’d 
failed, but you might ha’ been drownded. That were a 
five-shilling knife.” 

“ All right, Sam, I ’ll buy you another,” shouted Gwyn, 
who was now some distance up. 

“ Thank ye. Before you go, though,” said Sam Har- 
dock. 


AN IGNOMINIOUS ASCENT . 


151 


“ Go ? Go where ? ” 

“ Off to school, my lad ; I ’m going to ’tishion your 
two fathers to send you off to school, for I can’t have 
you playing no more of your pranks in my mine, and so 
I tell you.” 

Gwyn made no reply, but he went steadily up, while 
on casting a glance below he saw that the mining captain 
was making his way as steadily down ; but he thought 
a good deal, and a great deal more afterwards, for on 
reaching the top of the cliff, there lay Joe on the short 
grass, looking ghastly pale, and his father, with Joe’s, 
ready to seize him by the arm and draw him into 
safety. 

“ There must be no more of this,” said the colonel 
sternly. “You two boys are not fit to be trusted in 
these dangerous places. Now, go home at once.” 

The little crowd attracted by the accident had begun 
to cheer wildly, but the congratulatory sound did Gwyn 
no good. He did not feel a bit like the hero of an 
adventure, one who had done brave deeds, but a very 
ordinary, school-boy sort of personage, who was being 
corrected for a fault ; and he felt very miserable as he 
turned to Joe: 

“ Are you coming home too ? ” 

“Yes, I suppose so,” said Joe dismally. 

There was another cheer, and the boys felt as if they 
could not face the crowd, till an angry flush came upon 
Gwyn’s cheeks, for there stood, right in the front, the 
big swarthy fellow who had been caught plumbing the 
depth of the mine, and he was grinning widely at them 
both. 

“ Ugh ! ” thought Gwyn ; “ how I should like to punch 


152 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


that fellow’s head ! Here, J oe, let ’s tell our fathers that 
this fellow is hanging about here.” 

“No,” said Joe. “I feel as if I didn’t mind about 
anything now. My father looked at me as if I ’d 
been doing it all on purpose to annoy him. Let ’s go 
home.” 


A BRUTAL THRUST. 


153 


CHAPTER XIX. 

A BRUTAL THRUST. 

Gwyn did not see Joe for a whole week, and he did not 
go over to the mine, for the colonel had called him into 
his room the next morning and had a very long, serious 
talk with him, and this was the end of his lesson : 

“ Of course I meant you to go and read for the 
army, Gwyn, my lad, but this mine has quite upset my 
plans, and I can’t say yet what I shall do about you. It 
Avill seem strange for one of our family to take to such a 
life, but a man can do his duty in the great fight of life 
as well whether he ’s a mine-owner or a soldier. He has 
his men to keep in hand, to win their confidence and 
make them follow him, and to set them a good example, 
Gwyn. But I can’t say anything for certain. It’s all 
a speculation, and I never shut my eyes to the fact that 
it may all turn out a failure. If it does, we can go 
back to the old plans.” 

u Yes, father,” said the boy rather dolefully, for his 
father had stopped as if waiting for him to speak. 

“ But if it turns out a successful, honest venture, 
you ’ll have to go on with it and be my right-hand man. 
You’ll have to learn to manage, therefore, better than 
ever I shall, for you ’ll begin young. So we ’ll take up 
the study of it a bit, Gwyn, and you shall thoroughly 
learn what is necessary in geology and metallurgy and 
chemistry. If matters come to the worst, you won’t 


154 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


make any the worse officer for knowing such matters as 
these. It ’s a fine thing — knowledge. Nobody can take 
that away from you, and the more you use it the richer 
you get. It never wastes.” 

“ No, father,” said Gwyn, who began to feel an intense 
desire now to go on with his reading about the wars of 
Europe and the various campaigns of the British army, 
while the military text-hook which it had been his 
father’s delight to examine him in suddenly seemed to 
have grown anything but dry. 

u Begin reading up about the various minerals that 
accompany tin ore in quartz, for one thing, and we ’ll 
first take up that text-book dealing with the various 
methods of smelting and reducing ores, especially those 
portions about lead ore and extracting the silver that 
is found with it.” 

“Yes, father,” said Gwyn quietly; and the boy set his 
teeth, wrinkled his brow, and looked hard, for Colonel 
Pendarve treated his son in a very military fashion. He 
was kindness and gentleness itself, but his laws were like 
those of the Medes and Persians done into plain English. 
But the whole week had passed, and Mrs. Pendarve 
took him to task one morning: 

“ Come, Gwyn,” she said, “ I am quite sure your father 
does not wish you to mope over your books and give up 
going out to your old amusements.” 

“ Does n’t he, mother ? ” said the boy drearily. 

“Of course not. What has become of Joe Jollivet? 
He has not been near you.” 

“ In the black books, too, I suppose,” said Gwyn bit- 
terly. “ Major ’s been giving it to him.” 

“ Gwyn, I will not have you talk like that,” said his 


A BRUTAL THRUST. 


155 


mother. “ You boys both deserved being taken to task 
for your reckless folly. You forget entirely the agony 
you caused me when I beard of what had taken place.” 

“ I did n’t want to cause you agony, mother,” pleaded 
the boy. 

“ I know that, my dear, but you have been growing far 
too reckless of late. Now, be sensible and go on as if 
there had been no trouble between your father and you. 
I wish it. Try and grasp the spirit in which your 
father’s reproofs were given.” 

“ All right, mother, I will,” said Gwyn ; and his face 
brightened up once more. 

The consequence was that he went out into the yard 
and unchained the dog with very great difficulty, for 
the poor beast was nearly mad with excitement as soon 
as he realized the fact that he was going out with his 
master for a run, and, as soon as they entered the lane, set 
off straight for the major’s gates, stopping every now and 
then to look round and see if Gwyn was going there. 
But half-way up the hill Gwyn turned off on to the 
rough granite moorland, and Grip had to come back a 
hundred yards to the place where his master had turned 
off, and dashed after him. 

It did n’t matter to the dog, for there was some 
imaginary thing to hunt wherever they went, and as 
soon as he saw that he was on the right track he began 
hunting most perseveringly. For Gwyn did not want 
to go to the major’s. He felt that he would like to 
see Joe and have a good long talk with him, as well 
as compare notes ; hut if he had gone to the house he 
would have had to see the major, and that gentleman 
would doubtless have something to say that would not 


156 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


be pleasant to him — perhaps blame him for Joe getting 
into difficulties. 

No, he did not want to go to the major’s. 

“ Like having to take another dose,” he said to him- 
self, and he went on toward the old circle of granite 
stones which had been set up some long time back, 
before men began to write the history of their deeds. 

It lay about a mile from the cover, high up on the 
windy common, among the furze bushes, and was a capi- 
tal place for a good think ; for you could climb up on 
the top of the highest and look right out to sea, and 
count the great vessels going up and down channel far 
away on the glittering waters — large liners which left 
behind them long, thin clouds of smoke, stately ships 
with all sail set, trim yachts, and the red-sailed fishing- 
fleet returning from their cruise round the coast where 
the best places for shooting their nets were to be found. 

It was quite a climb up to the old stones, which were 
not seen from that side till you were close upon them, 
for they stood in a saucer-like hollow in the highest part 
of the ridge, and beyond them was one of the deep 
gullies with which that part of Cornwall was scored — 
lovely spots along which short rivulets made their way 
from the high ground down to the sea. 

Grip knew well enough now where his master was 
making for, and dashed forward as if certain that that 
mysterious object which he was always hunting had 
hidden itself away among the stones ; and soon after a 
tremendous barking was heard. 

“Rabbit,” muttered Gwyn; and for a few moments 
he felt disposed to begin running and join the dog in 
the chase; but he did not, for in spite of being out 


A BRUTAL THRUST. 


157 


there on the breezy upland where all was bright and 
sunny, he felt dull and disheartened. Things were not 
as he could wish, for he had just begun to feel old 
enough to bear upon the rein when it was drawn tight, 
and to long to have the bit in his teeth and do what he 
liked. The colonel had been pleasant enough that 
morning, but he had not invited him to go to the mine, 
and it felt like a want of trust in him. 

So Gwyn felt in no humor for sport of any kind ; he 
did not care to look out at the ships and speculate upon 
what port they were bound for ; he picked up no stones 
to send spinning at the gray gulls ; did not see that the 
gome was wonderfully full of flower ; and did not even 
smell the wild thyme as he crushed it beneath his feet. 
There were hundreds of tiny blue and copper butterflies 
flitting about, and a great hawk was ' hovering over- 
head, but everything seemed as if his mind was out 
of taste, and the objects he generally loved were 
flavorless. 

All he felt disposed to do was to turn himself into 
a young modern ascetic, prick his legs well in going 
through the furze, and then take a little bark off his 
shins in climbing twenty feet up on to the great mono- 
lith, and there sit and grump. 

“ Bother the dog, what a row he ’s making ! ” he mut- 
tered. “ I wish I had n’t brought him.” 

Then his lips parted to shout to it to be quiet, but he 
did not utter the words, for he stopped short just as he 
neared the first stone of the circle, on hearing the dog 
begin to bark furiously now, and a savage voice roar 
loudly : 

“ Get out, or I ’ll crush your head with this stone.” 


158 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


CHAPTER XX. 

A DOUBTFUL ACQUAINTANCE. 

Gwyn knew tlie voice, and he knew what was 
the matter, and his first aim was to make a rush to 
protect his dog from the crushing blow which would 
probably be given him with one of the many weather- 
worn fragments of granite lying about among the great 
monoliths ; but he was just where he could not make 
such a rush, for it would have been into a dense bed of 
grass as high as himself and forming a cheval de frise 
of millions of sharp thorns. 

The next best plan was to shout loudly, “You hurt my 
dog if you dare ! though the man might dare, and cast 
the stone all the same. 

But Gwyn did neither of these things, for another 
familiar voice rose from beyond the furze, crying loudly : 

“You let that dog alone! You touch him and I’ll 
set him to worry you. Once he gets his teeth into you 
he won’t let go. Here, Grip ! Come to heel ! ” 

“Well done, Joe ! ” muttered Gwyn, who felt that his 
dog was safe ; and he ran to the end of the bank of 
prickly growth, where there was an opening, and sud- 
denly appeared upon the scene. 

It was all just as he had pictured. There was Joe 
Jollivet with Grip close to his legs, barking angrily and 
making short rushes, and there a few yards away stood 


A DOUBTFUL ACQUAINTANCE. 


159 


the big swarthy stranger who had been caught at the 
mine-mouth, and whom Gwyn believed to have tampered 
with the furnace door, now standing with a big stone 
of eight or ten pounds’ “weight, ready to hurl at the 
dog if he attacked. 

“ Here, you put down that stone,” cried Gwyn angrily. 
44 How dare you threaten my dog ? ” 

44 Stone ain’t yours,” said the man tauntingly. 44 This 
ground don’t belong to you. Keep your mongrel cur 
quiet.” 

44 My dog would n’t interfere with you if you let him 
alone.” 

44 Oh, he’s your dog, is he?” said the man. 44 Well, 
take him home and chain him up. I don’t want to 
flatten his head, but I jolly soon will if he comes at 
me.” 

44 He couldn’t hit Grip,” said Joe maliciously, as he 
bent down to pat and encourage the dog. 44 Set him at 
the fellow — he has no business here.” 

44 What ! ” cried the fellow, who looked a man of three 
or four and thirty, but talked like a boy of their own 
age. 44 Much right here as you have. You let me alone 
and I ’ll let you alone. What business have you to 
set your beastly dog at me ? ” 

44 Who set him at you ? ” cried Joe. 44 He only barked 
at you ; he saw you were a stranger, and you picked up 
a stone, and that, of course, made him mad.” 

44 So would you pick up a stone, if a savage dog came 
at you. Look at him now showing his sharp teeth. On’y 
wish I had his head screwed up in a carpenter’s bench. 
I ’d jolly soon get the pinchers and nip ’em all out. He 
would n’t have no more toothache while I knew him.” 


160 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ There, you be off,” said Gwyn, “ while your shoes 
are good.” 

“ Don’t wear shoes, young un. Mine ’s boots.” 

“You ’re after no good, hanging about here.” 

“ Er — think I want to steal your guv’nor’s pears off 
the wall, now don’t yer?” 

u How do you know we ’ve got pears on our wall ? ” 

“ Looked over and see,” said the man, grinning. 

“Yes, that’s it; you’re a regular spy looking for 
what you can steal,” cried Joe. “Be off!” 

“ Shan’t. Much right here as you have. But I like 
that, to talk about stealing ! Who nipped off with my 
fishing-line and sinker? You give ’em back to me.” 

“ No ; they ’re confiscated, same as poachers’ nets,” 
said Gwyn. “Who sent you here?” 

“Sent me here? Sent myself.” 

“ What for ? ” 

“Wants a job. I’m mining, and I heared you was 
going to open the old . mine. Think your guv’nors ’ll 
take me on?” 

“You put down that stone before you ask questions,” 
said Gwyn. 

“ You shut up your dog’s mouth, then. I don’t want 
to kill him, but I ain’t going to have him stick his teeth 
into me.” 

“ The dog won’t hurt you if you don’t threaten him. 
Throw away that stone.” 

“ There you are, then ; but I warn you if he comes at 
me I ’ll let him have my boot, and if he does get it he 
won’t have any more head.” 

“ Quiet, Grip,” said Gwyn, as the man threw away the 
stone ; and the dog whined and said : “ Don’t talk to me 


A DOUBTFUL ACQUAINTANCE. 


161 


like that. This fellow is n’t to be trusted. Make me 
drive him away.” At least not in words, for the dog 
spoke with his eyes, which seemed to suggest that this 
course should be taken. 

“ Who are you, and where do you come from ? ” said 
Gwyn, looking at the man suspiciously. 

“ Truro. All sorts o’ places — wherever there ’s mines 
open and — at work.” 

“ And you heard that this one was going to be 
opened ? ” 

“ Yes, that ’s just what I did hear.” 

“ Then why did you come spying about the place ? ” 

“Never came spying about; only wanted to know 
how deep she was. I don’t like mines as is two hundred 
fathoms deep. Too hot enough, and such a long way 
up and down. Takes all the steam -out of you. Will 
your guv’nors give me a job ? ” 

“ Go to the office and ask them, that ’s the best way,” 
said Gwyn, looking at the man suspiciously as he took 
off his cap and began to smooth it round and round. 

“Well, p’r’aps that won’t be a bad way,” said the fel- 
low. “ But you two won’t say anything again me, will 
you, ’cause of that row we had when you smugged my 
line and sinker? ” 

“ I don’t think I shall say any more than what hap- 
pened,” replied Gwyn. 

“’Cause it was all over a row, now wasn’t it? Of 
course a chap gets his monkey up a bit when it comes to 
a fight. That ’s nat’ral, arn’t it ? ” 

Gwyn nodded, and felt as if he did not like the look of 
the man at all ; but at the same time he was ready to own 
that there might be a good deal of prejudice in the matter. 


162 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Wouldn’t like to go and say a good word forme, 
would you ? ” said the man. 

“ Of course I should not like to,” said Gwyn, laugh- 
ing. “ How can I go and speak for a man whom I only 
know through our having two rows with him ? That is n’t 
natural, is it?” 

“No, Is’pose not,” said the man frankly. “Well, 
I ’ll go myself ; I say, T am a wunner to work.” 

“You’d better tell Colonel Pendarve so,” said Gwyn ? 
smiling. 

“Think so? Well, I will, and good luck to me. 
But, I say, had n’t you two better make your dog friends 
with me?” 

“No,” said Gwyn promptly. “ Grip will know fast 
enough whether he ought to he friends with you or no.” 

“ Would he ? Is he clever enough for that ? ” 

“ Oh, yes,” said Gwyn ; “ he knows an honest man 
when he sees him, doesn’t he, Joe?” 

“ To be sure he does.” 

“ Think o’ that now ! ” said the man. “ All right, 
then ; don’t you two go again me. I ’ll go to the office at 
once.” 

“ Here, what ’s your name ? ” 

“ Dinass — Thomas Dinass,” said the man with a 
laugh ; “ but I ’m mostly called Tom. That all ? ” 

“Yes, that ’s all,” said Gwyn shortly ; and the man 
turned to go, with the result that Grip made a rush after 
him and the man faced round and held up his boot. 

“ Come here, sir ! Come back ! ” shouted Gwyn ; and 
the dog obeyed at once, but muttering protests the 
while, as if not considering such an interruption justi- 
fiable. 


A DOUBTFUL ACQUAINTANCE. 


163 


Then all three stood watching till the man had dis- 
appeared, the dog uttering an angry whine from time to 
time, as if still dissatisfied. 

At last the two boys, who had met now for the first 
time since the adventure on the ladder, turned to gaze 
in each other’s eyes, and ended in exchanging a short 
nod. 

“ Going up ? ” said Gwyn at last. 

“ Yes, I came on purpose, and found Grip here.” 

“ So did I come on purpose,” said Gwyn ; “ wanted a 
good think. Lead on.” 

Joe went to the tallest of the old stones and began to 
climb — mo easy task, but one to which he seemed to be 
accustomed; and after a little difficulty he obtained 
foothold, and then, getting a hand well on either side of 
one of the weather-worn angles, he drew himself higher 
and higher, and finally perched himself on the top. 

Before he was half up Gwyn began to follow without 
a thought of danger, though he did say : “ Hold tight — 
don’t come down on my head.” 

Up he went skilfully enough, but before he was at the 
top Grip uttered a few sharp barks, raised his ears, be- 
came excited, and jumped at the monolith to scramble on 
a few feet, drop, and, learning no wisdom from failure, 
scramble on again and again and fall back. 

Then as he saw his master reach the top he threw 
back his head, opened his jaws, and uttered a most dole- 
ful, long-drawn howl, as full of misery and disappoint- 
ment as a dog could give vent to. 

“ Quiet, will you ! ” cried Gwyn, and the dog answered 
with a sharp bark, to which he added another dismal, 
long-drawn howl. 


164 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Do you hear ! ” cried Gwyn ; “ don’t make that row ! 
Lie down ! ” 

There was another howl. 

“ Do you want me to throw stones at you ? ” cried 
Gwyn fiercely. 

Doubtless the dog did not, for he had an intense 
aversion to being pelted ; but,- as if quite aware of the 
fact that there were no stones to cast, he threw his head 
up higher than ever, and put all his force into a dismal 
howl that was unutterably mournful and strange. 

“You wretch! Be quiet! Lie down ! ” cried Gwyn; 
hut the more he shouted the louder the dog howled, and 
kept on making ineffectual efforts to mount the old stone. 

u Let him he ; never mind. He ’ll soon get tired. 
Want to talk.” 

The hoys settled themselves in uncomfortable posi- 
tions on the narrow top, where the feldspar crystals stood 
out at uncomfortable angles and those of quartz were 
sharper still, and prepared for their long confab. As a 
matter of course, they would have been ten times as 
comfortable on the short turf just beyond the furze, hut 
then that would have been quite easy, and there would 
have been no excitement or call upon their skill and 
energy. There was nothing to be gained by climbing up 
the stone, — nothing to see, nothing to find out, — *• but 
there was the inclination to satisfy that commonplace 
form of excelsiorism which tempts so many to try and get 
to the top ; so they climbed, and then lay thoughtfully 
glancing out to sea, while the dog, after a good many 
howls, gave it up for a bad job, curled himself into an 
ottoman, hid his nose under his bushy collie tail, and 
went to sleep. 


A DOUBTFUL ACQUAINTANCE. 


165 


Some minutes elapsed before either of the boys spoke, 
and when one did it was with his eyes fixed upon the 
warm brown sails of a fishing lugger miles away. 

It was Gwyn who commenced, and just as if they had 
been conversing on the subject for some time : 

“Major very angry ? ” 

Joe nodded. 

“ Awfully. Said, knowing what a state of health he 
was in, it was n’t fair for me to go on trying to break 
my neck, for I was very useful to him when he had his 
bad 'fever-fits. That it was n’t pleasant for him to 
stop at home expecting to have me brought home in 
bits.” 

“ He did n’t say that, did he ? ” 

“Yes, he did — bits that couldn’t be put together 
again ; and that if this was the result of having you for 
a companion, I had better give you up.” 

Gwyn drew a deep breath and kicked his heels to- 
gether with a loud clack. Then there was a long pause. 

“Well,” said Gwyn at last, “are you going to give 
me up?” 

Joe did not give a direct answer, but proposed a ques- 
tion himself : 

“ What did the colonel say ? ” 

“Just about the same as your father did, only he 
did n’t bring in about the fever, nor he did n’t say any- 
thing about my being brought home in bits. Said that 
I was a great nuisance, and he wondered how it was that 
I could not amuse myself as other boys did.” 

“ So we do,” said Joe sharply. “ I never knew of a 
boy yet who didn’t get into a scrape sometimes.” 

Gwyn grunted and frowned more deeply. 


166 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Said it was disgraceful for me to run risks and cause 
my mother no end of anxiety, and ” — 

“ Well, go on. What a time you are ! ” cried Joe, for 
Gwyn suddenly paused. “ What else did he say ? ” 

“ Oh, something you would n’t like to hear.” 

“ Yes, I should. Tell me what it was.” 

Gwyn took out his knife and began to pick with the 
point at a large crystal of pinkish feldspar which stood 
partly out of the huge block of granite. 

“ I say, go on. What an aggravating chap you are ! ” 

Gwyn went on picking. 

“I say, do you want me to shove you off the top 
here ? ” 

“ No ; and you could n’t if I did.” 

“Oh, couldn’t I? You’d see. But, I say, go on, 
Ydoll; tell us all about it. I did tell you what my 
father said.” 

“ Said he supposed it was from associating with such 
a boy as you, for he was sure that I was too well-mean- 
ing a lad to do such things without being prompted.” 

“ Oh, my ! What a shame ! ” cried Joe. “ It was too 
bad ! ” 

“Well, I didn’t want to tell you, only you bothered 
me till I did speak.” 

“ Of course. Is n’t it better to know than have any 
one thinking such things of you, without knowing? 
But, I say, though, it ’s too bad ; I could n’t help turning 
as I did. It came on all at once, and I could n’t stir.” 

. “ He did n’t mean about that so much. He bullied me 
for not taking care of you and stopping you from going 
up the ladder.” 

“ Did he ? Why, you could n’t help it.” 


A DOUBTFUL ACQUAINTANCE. 


167 


“ He talked as if he supposed I could, and said if we 
went out again together I had better take Grip’s collar 
and chain, put the collar round your neck, and lead you.” 

“ Oh, I say ! Just as if I was a monkey.” 

“ No ; father meant a dog or a puppy.” 

Joe gave himself a sudden twist round to face his 
companion, flushing with anger the while ; and as the 
space on the top of the monolith was very small he 
nearly slipped off, and had to make a snatch at Gwyn to 
save himself from an ugly fall. 

“ There ! ” cried Gwyn, “you ’re at it again. You ’ye 
made up your mind to break your neck or something else.” 

“It was all your fault,” cried Joe. “Saying things 
like that ! I don’t believe your father said anything of 
the kind. It was just to annoy me.” 

“ What, do you suppose I wanted to go home with fresh 
trouble to talk about ? ” 

“No, but it’s your nasty, bantering, chaffing way. 
Colonel Pendarve would n’t have spoken about me like 
that.” 

Gwyn laughed. 

“ I suppose he did n’t say I had better give you up as 
a companion ” — 

“Did he?” 

“If I was always getting into some scrape or another.” 

“No, but I say, Ydoll, did he?” 

“ Something of the kind. He said it was getting time 
for me to be thinking of something else beside tops and 
marbles.” 

“ Well, so we do. Whoever thinks about tops and 
marbles now ? Why, 1 have n’t touched such a thing 
for two years.” 


168 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ So I suppose you and I will have to part,” con- 
tinued Gwyn. 

Joe glanced at him sidewise. 

“It’s no use for us to be companions if it means 
always getting into scrapes at home.” 

Joe began to whistle. His face became perfectly 
smooth, and he watched his companion as he picked 
away at the crystal, while Gwyn looked puzzled. 

“ I say, you ’ll break the point of your knife directly,” 
said Joe. 

“Well, suppose I do.” 

“ Be a pity. It ’s a good knife.” 

“Well, you won’t see it when it’s broken if we’re 
going to part.” 

“ Of course not ; and you could get to the big grind- 
stone they’ve set up under that shed for the men to 
grind their picks. Soon give it a fresh point. I say, 
how jolly that is — only to put on the band over the 
wheel-shaft from the engine, and the stone goes spin- 
ning round. I tried it one day on my knife. It was 
splendid.” 

“You seem precious glad that we’ve got to part,” 
said Gwyn. 

“ Not a bit of it. It ’s all gammon.” 

“Eh? What is?” 

“ Talking about separating. It does n’t mean any- 
thing. I know better than that. Come, let’s talk 
sense.” 

“ That ’s what I have been doing,” said Gwyn stiffly. 

“ Not you — been bantering all the time. They did n’t 
mean it, and you didn’t mean it. We ’re to be partners 
over the mine some of these days, Ydoll, when we grow 


A DOUBTFUL ACQUAINTANCE. 


169 


up and they ’re tired of it. I say, though, 1 don’t think 
I shall like having that Tom Dinass here.” 

“No,” said Gwyn, thoughtfully. “He looks as if he 
could bite. Think what he said about getting work 
was all true?” 

“I suppos-e so. Seems reasonable. I don’t like to 
disbelieve people when they speak out plainly to 
you.” 

“No,” said Gwyn thoughtfully. “If they’ve told 
you a crammer at some time it makes all the difference, 
and you don’t feel disposed to believe them again. 
Perhaps it ’s all right, and when he ’s taken on he may 
turn out a very good sort of fellow.” 

“Yes; we shall have to chance it. I say though, 
Ydoll, we must be more careful for the future about not 
getting into scrapes together.” 

“Won’t matter if we’re not to be companions any 
more. We can’t get into any, can we?” 

“ Gammon ! They did n’t mean it, I tell you. We ’ve 
only got to mind.” 

“ And we begin by getting up here and running the 
risk of breaking our legs or wings.” 

“Well, it was stupid certainly,” said Joe thought- 
fully. “ But then, you see, we were so used to climbing 
up it that it came quite natural.” 

“ Father says one has got to think about being a man 
now and setting to work to understand the mining.” 

“Yes,” said Joe, with a sigh. “That’s what my 
father said” — and Joe sighed. “Seems rather hard 
to have to give up all our old games and excursions.” 

“ Then don’t let ’s give them up,” said Gwyn quickly. 

“ They don’t want us to, I know. Only to work hard 


170 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


sometimes. There, let ’s get down and go and see how 
they ’re getting on at the mine.” 

“Shall we?” said Joe doubtingly. 

“Yes. Why not? We needn’t do anything risky. 
I have n’t been there since the day the pump was started. 
Have you ? ” * 

“ No ; have n’t been near it.” 

“ Then come on.” 

Gwyn set the example of descending by lowering his 
legs over the side, gripping the angle with his knees 
and lowering himself cleverly, Joe following directly 
after, and Grip, who had uncurled himself, bounded 
away before them full of excitement. 

A week had resulted in a good deal of work being 
done by the many men employed : the roughly made 
office had been advanced sufficiently for the two old 
officers to take possession and spend a good deal of time 
in consultation with Hardock, who was at work from 
daylight to dusk superintending, and^ was evidently 
most eager for the success of the mine. The tall granite 
shaft was smoking away, and the puffs of steam and the 
whirring, clanking noises told that the engine was fully 
at work, while a dull heavy clank, clank , came to the 
boys from the mouth of the shaft. 

The first person almost that they set eyes upon was 
Hardock, who came bustling out of the building over 
the mouth of the shaft, and stopped short to stare. 
Then, giving his leg a heavy slap, his face expanded 
into a grin of welcome. 

“ There you are, then, both of you at last. Why, 
where have you been all this time?” 

“ Oh, busy at home,” said Gwyn evasively. 


A DOUBTFUL ACQUAINTANCE. 


171 


“ Come to knock up an accident of some kind ? ” said 
the man, with the grin on his face expanding. 

“ No, I haven’t,” said Gwyn shortly. . 

“You, then?” cried Hardock, turning to Joe, who 
colored like a girl. 

“ Ah, well, we won’t quarrel now you have come, my 
lads ; but the colonel made my ears sing a bit the other 
day for not looking more sharply after you both. Well, 
arn’t you going to ask how the mine is ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Gwyn, glad to change the subject. “ Got 
all the water out ? ” 

“ Nay, my lad, nor nothing like all.” 

“ Jjtien you never will,” said Joe. “ Depend upon it, 
there ’s a way in somewhere from the sea, and that ’s 
why the old place was forsaken.” 

“ Sounds reasonable,” said Hardock, “ ’specially as 
the bits of ore we ’ve come across are so rich.” 

“ Yes, that ’s it,” said Gwyn. “ What a pity, though ! 
How far have you got down ?” 

“ Oh, a long way, my lad, and laid open the moutlis of 
two galleries. Wonderful sight of water we ’ve pumped 
out. Don’t seem to get much farther now.” 

“No, and you never will,” said Joe again excitedly. 
“I’m sorry, though. Father will he so disappointed.” 

“ What makes you say that there ’s a way in from the 
sea ? ” said Hardock quietly. 

“ Because the shaft ’s so near. It ’s a very bad job, 
though.” 

“ But look ye here,” said Hardock, laying his hand on 
Gwyn’s shoulder ; “ as you have come, tell me this : how 
should you try to find out whether it was sea-water we 
were pumping out ? ” 


172 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Why, by tasting it, of course,” said Gwyn. “ It 
would be quite salt.” 

“ Ay,” said .Hardock, with a chuckle, “ only that ’s 
what I did do.” 

“ And was it salt? ” asked Joe. 

“No, it warn’t. It was fresh, all fresh, only it warn’t 
good enough to make tea.” 

“Why?” asked Gwyn. 

“ ’Cause you could taste the copper in it quite strong. 
We shall get the water out, my lads, in time, but it’s a 
big mine, and goodness knows how far the galleries run. 
Strikes me that your guv’nors are going to be rich men 
and — halloo I What ’s he been doing there ? ” 

The boys turned on seeing the direction of the mining 
captain’s gaze, and they saw Tom Dinass’s back as he 
stood cap in hand talking to some one inside the office 
door, some one who proved to be the colonel. 

“ Been to ask to be taken on to work at the mine,” 
said Gwyn. 

“ But that won’t do, my lads,” cried Hardock excit- 
edly. “We want to be all friends here, and he belongs 
to the enemy. They can’t take him on ! It would 
mean trouble as sure as you ’re both there. Oh, they 
wouldn’t engage he.” 

Hardock said no more, for Dinass had seen them as 
he turned from the office door, and came toward them 
at once. 

“ Are you ? ” he said to Hardock without the “ How 
and the captain nodded in a sulky way. 

“ What do you want here ? ” he said. 

“ Just whatever you like, captain. 1 ’m an old hand 
and ready for anything. The guv’nors have took me 
on, and I ’m come to work.” 


SAM HARDOCK DISAPPROVES . 


173 


CHAPTER XXI. 

SAM HARDOCK DISAPPROVES. 

Clank ! clank ! and wash ! wash ! The great pump 
worked and the water came up clear and bright, to rush 
along the channel cut in the floor of the adit and pour 
from the end like a feathery waterfall into the sea, the 
spray being carried like a shower of rain far enough 
on a breezy day. But there seemed to be no end to it, 
and the proprietors began to look anxious. 

But Hardock’s face was always cheery. 

“ Only because she ’s so big underground, and there ’s 
such a lot to get out, you see, my lads ; she ’s right 
enough. Why, that water ’s been collecting from, per- 
haps, long before I was born. We shall get her dry 
some day.” 

But Dinass, who somehow always seemed to be near 
when the boys were about the mine, looked solemn, and 
as soon as Hardock’s back was turned he gave Gwyn a 
significant wink. 

“ I only hope he ’s right,” said the man. 

“ Then you don’t know he is ? ” said J oe sharply. 

“ I don’t say nothing, young gents, nothing at all ; 
but that pump ’s been going long enough now to empty 
any mine, and yet if you both go and look at the 
water you ’ll see it ’s coming as fast as ever and just as 
clear.” 


174 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Because they have n’t got to the bottom of it yet,” 
said. Gwyn. 

“ It arn’t that, young gentleman,” said Dinass myste- 
riously. “ Of course it arn’t my business, hut if the 
mine belonged to me I should begin to get uncomfort- 
able.” 

“Why?” asked Joe. 

“ Because I should be thinking that the old folks who 
digged this mine had to come up it in a hurry one day.” 

“ Why ? Because there were bullyjobs and durn- 
belows in it ? ” 

“No, sir, because they broke through one day into an 
underground river, and you can’t never pump dry a 
place like that. But there, I don’t know, gentlemen, 
— that ’s only what I think.” 

The man went about his work, over which he was so 
assiduous that even Hardock could not complain, and the 
latter soon after encountered the lads. 

“ Don’t say Dinass told us,” whispered Gwyn. “ Sam 
hates him badly enough as it is. Let him think that it ’s 
our own idea.” 

“Not got to the bottom of the water yet, then?” said 
Gwyn. 

“No, sir, not yet, not yet,” replied the captain 
bluntly ; “ and it won’t come any the quicker for you 
joking me about it.” 

“ But arn't you beginning to lose heart ? ” 

“Lose heart? Wouldn’t do to lose heart over a 
mine, sir. No ; no man who digs in the earth for metals 
must n’t lose heart.” 

“But we ’re not digging, only pumping.” 

“ But we might begin in one of these galleries nearly 


SAM HARDOCK DISAPPROVES. 


175 


any time, sir. I ’ve been down and I ’ve seen better 
stuff than they ’re getting in some of the mines, I can 
tell you, sir. But we ’d better get the water well under 
first.” 

“ But suppose you are never going to get it under ? ” 

“Eh? No, I don’t s’pose anything of the kind. It’s 
fresh water and we must soon master it.” 

“ But suppose it ’s an underground river, Sam ? ” said 
Joe sharply. 

“ Underground river, my lad ? Then that will be a fine 
chance for you two. I should be for getting my tackle 
ready, and going fishing as soon as the water ’s low 
enough. Who knows what you might ketch?” 

“ Nothing to laugh at, Sam,” said Gwyn sternly. “ If 
there should prove to be an underground stream, you ’ll 
never pump the mine dry.” 

“Never, sir, and I shouldn’t like to try; but,” he con- 
tinued, with a merry twinkle of the eye, “ the steam- 
engine will. That ’s the beauty of these things : they 
never get tired. Here 's the guv’nors.” 

Colonel Pendarve came up with the major, both look- 
ing very serious, and evidently troubled by the slow 
progress over the water. 

“ Been down the shaft, Hardock ? ” said the former. 

“Yes, sir; just come up.” 

“ Any better news ? ” said the major quickly. 

“No, sir; it’s just about the same. Couldn’t be 
better.” 

“Not be better, man ! The anxiety is terrible.” 

“ Oh, no, sir,” said Hardock. “ That ’s only because 
you worry yourself over it. Water’s been steadily 
sinking ever since we began to pump.” 


176 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ But so slowly — so slowly, man.” 

“ Yes, sir, but there ’s so much of it. Place is bigger 
than we expected.” 

u But the water is falling, Hardock?” said the 
colonel. 

“ Yes, sir, steady and sure; and whenever the pump 
has been stopped the water has n’t risen, which is the 
best sign of all.” 

“ Yes, we must have patience, Jollivet, and wait.” 

“Yes, sir,” put in Hardock ; “and if I might make so 
bold as to speak I would n’t engage any one else for the 
present. When the mine ’s dry it will be time enough.” 

“No; better get recruits while we can,” said the 
colonel. 

“ But you have to go on paying wages, sir, and I fancy 
I know best the sort of men we want.” 

“ Ah, you don’t like that man Dinass,” said the 
Colonel. 

“ No, sir, I don’t; not at all.” 

“ But you said he worked well and knew his business.” 

“ Yes, sir; but I don’t like him none the more.” 

“ Petty jealousy, my man, because you did not have a 
word in the business. There, come along, major, and 
let ’s see how the pump ’s getting on.” 

“Jealousy!” grunted Hardock; “just as if I’d be 
jealous of a chap like that ! What yer laughing at, Mr. 
Gwyn?” 

“You, Sam. Why, you ’re as jealous of Dinass as you 
can be.” 

“ Think so, sir? What do you say, Mr. Joe Jollivet ? ” 

“Didn’t say anything, but I thought so. You’re 
afraid of his taking your place as foreman or captain.” 


SAM HARDOCK DISAPPROVES. 


177 


“ Me ? ” cried the man indignantly. “ ’Fraid of an odd- 
job sort of a chap, took on like out of charity, being able 
to take my place? Come, I do like that, Master Joe. 
What do you think of it, Mr. Gwyn?” 

“Think Joe Jolli vet’s right,” said Gwyn shortly; and 
Hardock turned upon him angrily. 

“ Well, arn’t it enough to make me, sir? Here was I 
out of work through mine after mine being advertised, 
and none of ’em a bit of good. And what do I do but 
sit down and puzzle and think out what could be done, 
till I hit upon Ydoll and went up and examined it, and 
looked at bits of stuff that I found on the bank and round 
about the mouth, till I was sure as sure that it was a good 
thing that had never been properly worked, or they 
wouldn’t have pitched away the good ore they did, 
though what could you expect from people ever so long 
ago, who had no proper machinery to do tilings with ? — 
and the more I work here the more I ’m sure of there being 
heaps of good stuff to be got. Well, what do I do? 
Talks to you young gents about it, don’t I, and then 
your fathers laughs at it all, and I ’m regularly upset till 
they took the idea up. Then I set to and got the place 
in going order, and it ’s going to be a very big thing, 
and all my doing, as you may say ; and then up comes 
Mr. Tom Dinass to shove his nose in like the thin end 
of a wedge. How would you both like it, if it was 
you?” 

“ Well, I shouldn’t like it at all,” said Gwyn. 

“ Of course you would n’t, sir, nor Mr. Joe neither ; and 
I just tell Mr. Tom Dinass this : so long as he goes on 
and does his work, well and good — I shan’t quarrel 
with him ; but if he comes any underhanded games and 


178 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


tries to get me out of my place, I ’ll sound the mine with 
him.” 

“ You ’ll do what ? ” cried Joe. 

“ See how deep the mine is with him, sir, and try how 
he likes that.” 

Sam Hardock gave the lads a very meaning nod and 
walked away, leaving the pair looking inquiringly at each 
other. 

“ He ’d better mind what he ’s about,” said Joe. “ That 
Tom Dinass is an ugly customer if he ’s put out.” 

“Yes, but it’s all talk,” said Gwyn. “People don’t 
pitch one another down mines ; and besides you could n’t 
pitch any one down our mine, on account of the plat- 
forms. Why, you couldn’t drop more than fifteen or 
twenty feet anywhere.” 

“ No, but it would be very ugly if those two were to 
quarrel and fight.” 


A MENTAL KINK. 


179 


CHAPTER XXII. 

A MENTAL KINK. 

The time went on, with the carpenters and engineers 
hard at work. As fast as the water was lowered enough 
fresh platforms were placed across the shaft, and after a 
little consideration and conference with Hardock it was 
decided not to let the men go up and down the mine by 
means of ladders, on account of the labor and loss of 
time, but to erect one of the peculiar beams used in 
some mines, the platforms being at equal distances 
favoring the arrangement. 

The boys were present at the consultation, and when 
it was over they went off for a stroll, Grip following in 
a state of great excitement, and proceeding to stalk the 
gulls whenever he saw any searching for spoils on the 
grassy down at the top of the cliffs. But the dog had 
no success. The gulls always saw him coming, and let 
him come pretty near before giving a few hops with 
outstretched wings and then sailing away just above 
his head, leaving him snapping angrily in company with 
his futile bounds. 

After a time the boys threw themselves on the grass 
at the top of one of the highest cliffs, from whence they 
could look down through the transparent sea at the 
purplish depths, or at the pale-green shallows where the 
sand had been washed up, or again at where all was of a 
rich golden-brown with seaweed. 


180 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


It was a lovely day, and in the offing the tints on the 
sea were glorious ; but the boys had no eyes for anything 
then. So to speak, they were looking back at the meet- 
ing which had just taken place at Colonel Pendarve’s. 

“ Father looked very serious about these lift things,” 
said Gwyn at last. 

“ Enough to make him ; it ’s nothing but pay, pay, 
pay. I want to see them get to work and make money. 
It will be horrible for father if the mine fails.” 

“ ’T isn’t going to fail. Don’t be a coward. See what 
a grand thing this new apparatus will be.” 

“ Will it? ” said Joe. “ I don’t understand it a bit.” 

u Wliy, it’s easy enough.” 

“ I can understand about a bucket or cage let up and 
down by a rope running over a wheel, but this seems to 
me to be stupid.” 

“ Nonsense ! It ’s you who are stupid. Can’t you see 
that a great beam is to go from the top to the bottom of 
the mine ? ” 

“ That ’s nonsense. Where are they going to get one 
long enough ? ” 

“ Can’t they join a lot together till it is long enough, 
old wisdom-teeth ? Of course it will have to be made in 
bits and put together.” 

“Well, what then?” cried Joe. 

“What then? Sam Hardock and the engineer ex- 
plained it simply enough. The beam is to have a 
little standing-place on it at every eighteen or nineteen 
feet.” 

“Yes, I understand that; and it’s to be attached to 
an engine bearer which will raise it eighteen feet, and 
then lower it eighteen feet.” 


A MENTAL KINK. 


181 


“ Of course. Well, what ’s the good of pretending you 
did not understand ? ” 

“ I did n’t pretend. I don’t understand.” 

Gwyn laughed. 

“You are a fellow ! There ’ll be a ledge for a man 
to stand on all down the beam from top to bottom, 
exactly opposite the regular platform.” 

“Yes, I understand that.” 

“ Well, then, what is it you don’t understand?” cried 
Gwyn, smiling. 

“ How it works.” 

“Why, you said you did just now. Oh, I say, Jolly 
wet, what a foggy old chap you are ! You said as plain 
as could be that the beam rose and fell eighteen feet.” 

“ Oh, yes, I said that ; but I don’t understand about the 
men.” 

“ Well, you are a rum one, Joe. Is it real, or are you 
making believe ? ” 

“Real. Now suppose it was us who wanted to go 
down.” 

“Well, suppose it was us.” 

“ What do we do ? ” 

“ Why, we” — • 

“No, no, let me finish. I say, what do we do? We 
step on to the ledge attached to the beam.” 

“ Of course we do, only one at a time.” 

“ Very well, then, — one at a time. Then down goes 
the beam eighteen feet to the next platform.” 

“Yes, and then up it rises again eighteen feet, and 
most likely there ’d be a man on every ledge from top to 
bottom.” 

“Well, what ’s the good of that?” 


182 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Good ? Why, so that the men can ride up or down 
when they ’re tired, and do away with the ladders.” 

“ Is n’t that absurd ? I ’m sure my father never meant 
to put a lot of money into this thing so as to give the 
men a ride up and down on a patent seesaw.” 

“ Oh, I say, J oe, what a chap you are ! What have 
you got in your head ? ” 

“ This old seesaw that Hardock and the engineer want 
us to have, of course.” 

“ Well, can’t you see how good it will be ? ” 

“No, I can’t; nor you either.” 

“ But don’t you see it sends the men all down eighteen 
feet into the mine ? ” 

“ Of course I can. Never mind the men. Suppose it ’s 
me, and I step on. It sends me down eighteen feet.” 

u Yes, at one stride, and then conies up again. Can’t 
you see that ? ” 

“ Of course I can. It comes up again, and brings me 
up with it, ready to go down again. Why, it ’s no good. 
It will be only like a jolly old up and down.” 

Gwyn stared at his companion. 

“What are you talking about ? ” he said, but in a less 
confident tone. 

“You know — this gimcrack thing that was to do so 
much. Why, the idea ’s all wrong. Don’t you see ? ” 

Gwyn stared at his companion again. 

“ Nonsense ! ” he cried ; “ it ’s all right. There ’ll be a 
man step on to it at every platform, and then down 
he 'll go.” 

“ Of course, and when he has gone down eighteen or 
twenty feet, up he ’ll come again. It sounds very 
pretty, but it ’s all a muddle. It ’s just like the story of 


A MENTAL KINK. 


183 


the man who wanted to go to America, so he went up in 
a balloon and stayed there for hours and waited till the 
world had turned round enough, and then he came down 
in America.” 

“ Oh, but this is all right ; they explained it exactly to 
my father, and I saw it all plainly enough then. It was 
as clear as could be,” said Gwyn thoughtfully. “ A 
man stepped on and went down.” 

“ Yes, and the beam rose, and he came up again.” 

Gwyn scratched his head and looked regularly puzzled, 
and the more he tried to see the plan clearly, the more 
confused he grew. 

“ Here, I can’t make it out now,” he said at last. 

“ Of course you can’t, my lad, it ’s all wrong.” 

“ But if it is, there will be a terrible loss.” 

“ To be sure there will.” 

“ Let ’s go and talk to my father about it.” 

“ Or .mine,” said Joe. 

“ Our place is nearest, or perhaps father ’s in the 
office,” cried Gwyn excitedly. “ Mind, I don’t say 
yon ’re right, because I seemed to see it all so clearly, 
though it has all turned misty and stupid-like now.” 

“I know how it was,” said Joe. “Sam Hardock had 
got the idea in his head, and he explained it all so that 
it seemed right, but it is n’t; and the more I think about 
it, the more I wonder that no one saw before what a 
muddle it is.” 

“ Come on ! ” cried Gwyn, springing up ; and the two 
lads started back toward the mine, but they were not 
destined to reach it then, for they had not gone above a 
hundred yards along by the edge of the cliff when thej^ 
came upon Dinass seated with his back to a rock, smok- 


184 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


ing his pipe and gazing out to sea between his half-closed 
eyelids. 

“ Halloo ! ” shouted Gwyn ; “ what are you doing 
here ? ” 

“ Smoking,” said the man coolly. 

“ Well, I can see that,” cried Gwyn. “ How is it you 
are not at work ? ” 

“ ’Cause a man can’t go on forever without stopping. 
Man ain’t a clock, as only wants winding up once a 
week. Must have rest sometimes.” 

“Well, you have the night for rest,” said Gwyn 
sharply. 

“ Sometimes,” said Dinass ; “ but I was working the 
pump all last night.” 

“ Oh, then you ’re off work to-day.” 

“ That ’s so, young gentleman, and getting warm again 
in the sun. It was precious unked and cold down there 
in the night, and I got wet right through to my backbone. 
I ’m only just beginning to get a bit dried now.” 

“Look here, Ydoll,” said Joe sharply, “he’ll have 
been talking to Sam Hardoek about it, I know. Here, 
Tom Dinass, what about that bobbing up and down 
thing Sam Hardoek wants to have in the mine ? ” 

“’Stead of ladders? Well, what about it?” 

“ It ’s all nonsense, is n’t it ? ” 

“Well, I shouldn’t call it nonsense,” said the man 
thoughtfully, as he took his pipe out of his mouth and 
sat thinking. 

“What do you call it, then?” said Joe. 

“ Melancholy, sir, that ’s what I call it — melancholy.” 

“Because it won’t work?” cried Joe. 

“ But it would work, would n’t it ? ” said Gwyn. 


A MENTAL KINK . 


185 


“ Oli, yes, sir, it would work,” said the man, “ because 
the engine would pump it up and down.” 

“ Of course it would,” said Joe ; “ but what ’s the use 
of having a thing that pumps up and down, unless it ’s 
to bring up water ? ” 

“ Ay, but this is a thing as pumps men up and down,” 
said Dinass. 

“ Gammon ! It ’s impossible.” 

Dinass looked at him in astonishment. 

“No, it ain’t,” he said gruffly. “I’ve been pumped 
up and down on one times enough, so I ought to know.” 

“ You have ? ” said Gwyn eagerly. 

“ Ay, over Redruth way lots o’ times.” 

“ There, then it is right,” cried Gwyn. “ I knew it 
was. What an old jolly wet-blanket you are, Joe ! ” 

“ But it can’t be right,” cried Joe stubbornly. “ Here 
you get on a bit of a shelf and stand there, and the beam 
goes down twenty feet.” 

“Nay, it don’t,” said Dinass, interrupting; “only 
twelve foot.” 

“ W ell, it ’s all the same ; it might be twenty feet, 
mightn’t it?” 

“ I s’pose so, sir. Ones I ’ve seen only goes twelve 
foot at a jog.” 

“ Twelve feet, then ; and then it jigs up again,” cried 
Joe. 

“ Ay, just like a pump. Man-engines they call ’em,” 
said Dinass ; “ but I have heard ’em called farkuns.” 1 

“ Then you ’ve seen more than one ? ” cried Gwyn. 

“ More than one, sir, I should think I have.” 

“ And they do go well ? ” 

1 German : Fahr-Kunst. First used in the Harz Mountain mines. 


186 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


44 Oh, yes, sir, they go well enough after a fashion.” 

44 Can’t,” cried Joe. 

44 But they do, sir,” said Dinass ; 44 1 ’ve seen ’em and 
gone down deep mines on ’em.” 

44 Now you didn’t, you went down twelve feet,” said 
Joe, more stubbornly than ever. 

44 Yes, sir, twelve foot at a time.” 

44 And then came up twelve feet.” 

44 That ’s right, sir.” 

44 Then what ’s the good of them, if they only give you 
a ride up and down twelve feet?” 

44 To take you to the bottom.” 

44 But they can’t,” cried Joe. 

44 1 dunno about 4 can’t,’ ” said the man gruffly ; 44 all I 
know is that they do take ’em up or down whenever you 
like, and saves a lot of time, besides being, I will say 
that for ’em, a regular rest.” 

44 What, through just stepping on a shelf of the beam 
and stopping there ? ” 

44 Who said anything about stopping there ? ” cried the 
man roughly. 44 You steps on to the shelf and down 
goes the beam twelve foot, and you steps off on to a bit o’ 
platform. Up goes the beam and brings the next shelf 
level with you, and on you gets to that. Down you go 
another twelve foot, as makes twenty-four, steps off, up 
comes the next shelf, and you steps on ; down she goes 
again, and you steps on and off, and on and off, going 
down twelve foot at a time till you ’re at the bottom or 
where you want to be, part of the way down at one of 
the galleries.” 

44 Of course,” cried Gwyn triumphantly. 44 1 knew it 
was all right, only I got a bit foggy over it when you 
said it wasn’t right, Joe.” 


A MENTAL KINK. 


187 


“ But 

“ I knew there was something. We forgot about step- 
ping off and letting the beam rise.” 

Joe scratched his head. 

“ Don’t you see now ? ” cried Gwyn. 

“Beginning to — not quite,” said Joe, still in the 
same confused way. Then with a start he gave his leg 
a hearty slap. “ Why, of course,” he cried ; “ I see it all 
clearly enough now. You step on and go down, and 
then step on and go up, and then you step on — and step 
on — Ah, I say, how is it the thing does work, after 
all?” 

“ Why, you ” — began Gwyn, roaring with laughter 
the while; but Joe interrupted him. 

“No, no; I’ve got it all right now. I see clearly 
enough. But it is puzzling. What an obstinate old 
block you were, Ydoll.” 

“Eh? Oh, come, I like that,” cried Gwyn. “Why, 
you ” — Then seeing the mirthful look on his compan- 
ion’s face, he clapped him on the shoulder. “ You did 
stick to it, though, that it would n’t go, and no mistake.” 

“Well, I couldn’t see it anyhow. It was a regular 
puzzle,” said Joe frankly. “But I say, Tom Dinass, 
what made you call these man-engines melancholy 
things ? ” 

“ ’Cause of the mischief they doos, sir. I do hope 
you won’t have one here.” 

“ Why ? What mischief do they do? ” cried Gwyn. 

“ Kills the poor lads sometimes. Lad does n’t step 
on or off at the right time, and he gets chopped between 
the step and platform. It ’s awful then ; ’bliged to be 
so very careful.” 


188 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


44 Man who goes down a mine ought to he very care- 
ful.” 

44 O’ course, sir, but they things are horrid bad ; I 
don’t like ’em.” 

“ But they can’t be so dangerous as ladders, or going 
down in a bucket at the end of a string or chain ; you 
might fall, or the chain might break. Such things do 
happen,” said Gwyn. 

“ Ay, sir, they do sometimes, but I don’t like a 
farkun. Accident ’s an accident, and you must have 
some ; but these are horrid, and we shall be having some 
accident with that dog of yours if we don’t mind.” 

44 Accident ? ” said Gwyn. 44 What do yon mean ? ” 

“ He ’ll be a-biting me, and I shall have to go into 
horspittle.” 

44 Oh, he won’t hurt you,” cried Gwyn. 

44 Don’t know so much about that, sir,” said the man, 
grinning ; 44 I should say if he did bite he would hurt me 
a deal. Must have a precious nice pair o’ legs, or he 
would n’t keep smelling ’em as he does, and then stand 
licking his jaws.” 

44 I tell you he won’t hurt you,” cried Gwyn. 44 Here, 
Grip; come away.” 

The dog looked up at his master, and passed his 
tongue about his lower jaw. 

“ Look at that, sir,” said Dinass, laughing ; but there 
was a peculiar look in his eyes. 44 Strikes me as he ’d 
eat cold meat any day without pickles.” 

44 1 'll take care he shan’t bite your legs with or with- 
out pickles,” said Gwyn, laughing. 44 Come along, Joe, 
and let ’s go and have a talk to Sam Hardock about the 
what did he call it — far — fargones ? ” 


A MENTAL KINK . 


189 


“I don’t know,” replied Joe; “but somehow I wish 
Master Tom Dinass had n’t been taken on.” 

“ Going to have a man-engine, are they ? ” muttered 
Dinass, as he sat watching the two lads from the corners 
of his eyes. u Seems to me that things have gone pretty 
nigh far enough, and they’ll have to be stopped. Won’t 
eat my legs with or without pickles, won’t he? No, he 
won’t if I know it. Getting pretty well all the water 
out too. Well, I daresay there’ll be enough of it to 
drown that dog.” 


190 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


CHAPTER XXIII. 

GRIP TAKES AN INTEREST. 

“Now, Joe, this ought to be a big day,” said Gwyn, 
one morning. “ Father ’s all in a fidget, and he looked 
as queer at breakfast as if he had n't slept all night.” 

“Was n’t any 4 as if,’ ” replied Joe ; “ my father says 
he did n’t sleep a wink for thinking about the mine.” 

“ Oh, but people often say they have n’t slept a wink 
when they ’ve been snoring all the night. See how the 
fellows used to say it at Worksop. I never believed 
them.” 

44 But when father says it you may believe him, for 
when he has fits of the old jungle-fever come back, I ’m 
obliged to give him his doses to make him sleep.” 

44 Well, I woke ever so many times wondering whether 
it was time to get up. Once the moon was shining over 
the sea, and it was lovely. It would have been a time 
to have gone off to Pedu Rocks congering.” 

44 Ugh, the beasts!” exclaimed Joe. 44 But, I say, 
what a thing it will be if the place turns out no good 
after all this trouble and expense ! ” 

44 Don’t talk about it,” said Gwyn. 44 But Sam says 
it’s right enough.” 

44 And Tom Dinass shakes his head and says — as if 
he did n’t believe it could be — that he hopes it may turn 
out all right, but he doubts it.” 


GRIP TAKES AN INTEREST. 


191 


“ Tom Dinass is a miserable old croaker. Sam knows. 
He says there ’s no doubt about it. The mine ’s rich, and 
it must have been worked in the old days in their rough 
way, without proper machinery, till the water got the 
better of them and they had to give it up.” 

“ I hope it is so,” said Joe, Avith a sigh. “ But, I say, 
what about going down ? ” 

“ Your father won’t go down.” 

“ Oh, yes, he Avill. He says he shall go in the skep if 
your father does.” 

“ Oh, my father Avill go, of course ; but he said I ’d 
better not go till the mine was more dry and the man- 
engine had been made and fitted.” 

“ Hurrah ! Glad of it ! ” 

“ What do you mean by that ! ” cried Gwyn angrily. 

“ What I say ; I don’t see why you should be allowed 
to go, and me stay up at grass.” 

“ Humph ! Just the place for you,” said Gwyn. 

“ And what do you mean by that ? ” cried J oe angrily, 
in turn. 

“ Proper place for a donkey, where there ’s plenty of 
grass.” 

“ Ah, now you ’ve got one of your nasty disagreeable 
fits on. Just like a Cornish man — I mean boy.” 

“ Better be a Cornish chap than a Frencliy.” 

“Frencliy! We’ve been long enough in England to 
be English now,” cried Joe. “But it’s too hard for us 
not to go.” 

“ Regular shame ! ” said Gwyn. “ I ’ve been longing 
for this day, so as to have a regular examination. It 
must be a wonderful place, Joe. Quite a maze.” 

“Oh, I don’t know,” said Joe superciliously; “just a 


192 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


long hole, and when you ’ve seen one hit. you ’ve seen 
all.” 

“ That ’s what the fox said to the grapes,” said Gwyn, 
with a laugh. 

“No, he didn’t, he said they were sour.” 

“Never mind; it’s just your way. The place will he 
wonderful. There ’s sure to he plenty of crystals and 
stalactites and wonderful caverns and places. Oh, I do 
wish we were going down ! ” 

“I don’t know that I do now — the place will be 
horribly damp.” 

“ Fox again.” 

“ Look here, Gwyn Pendarve, if you wish to quarrel, 
say so and I ’ll go somewhere else.” 

“But I don’t want to quarrel, Joseph Jollivet, 
Esquire,” said Gwyn, imitating the other’s stilted way 
of speaking. “ What ’s the good of quarrelling with 
you?” 

Joe picked up a stone and threw it as far as he could, 
so as to get rid of some of his irritability ; and Grip, who 
had been sitting watching the boys, wondering what 
was the matter, went oft* helter-skelter, found the stone 
and brought it back cracking against his sharp white 
teeth, dropped it at Joe’s feet, and began to dance about 
and make leaps from the ground, barking as if saying, 
“ Throw it again — throw it again ! ” 

“ Lie down, you old stupid ! ” cried Gwyn. 

“ Let him have a run,” said Joe, picking up the stone 
and jerking it as far as he could over the short grassy 
down, the dog tearing off again. 

“ Ugh ! Look at your hand,” said Gwyn, “ all wet 
with the dog’s ‘ serliwer,’ as the showman called it.” 


GRIP TAKES AN INTEREST. 


193 


“ Oh, that’s clean enough,” said Joe ; but he gave his 
hand a rub on tlie grass all the same. 

The dog came back panting, and Joe picked up the 
stone to give it another jerk, but looking round for a 
fresh direction in which to throw it, he dropped the 
piece of granite. 

“ Come on ! ” he shouted, as he started off ; “ they ’re 
going to the shaft.” 

Gwyn glanced in the direction of the mine, and 
started after J oe, raced up to him, and they ran up to 
the mouth, getting there jus^ at the same time as the 
colonel and. Major Jollivet, the dog coming frantically 
behind. 

“Well, boys,” cried the colonel, “here we are, you 
see. Wish us luck.” 

“ Of course I do, father,” said Gwyn. “ But you ’d 
better let us come too.” 

“No, no, no, no,” said the colonel; “better wait a 
bit. Besides you are not dressed for it. We are, you 
see.” 

He smilingly drew attention to their shooting caps 
and boots, and long mackintoshes. 

“Yes,” said the major, laughing; “we’re ready for a 
wet campaign.” 

Gwyn was not in the habit of arguing with his father, 
whose quietest words always carried with them a military 
decision which meant a great deal ; so he was silent, and 
contented himself with a glance at Joe, who took his cue 
from him, and remained silent. 

Several of his men were there standing about the 
square iron-bound box attached by a wire rope to a 
wheel overhead, and known as the skep, which with 


194 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


another would be the conveyance of the ore that was to 
be found, from deep down in the mine to the surface, or, as 
the miners termed it, to grass ; and until the man-engine 
was finished this was the ordinary way up and down. 

Sam Hardock stood ready, well muffled up in flannel 
garments and wearing a strong leather cap like a hel- 
met with a crown, in front of which was his feather 
represented by a thick tallow candle. He was armed 
with a stout pick in his belt, and the colonel and major 
both carried geologist’s hammers. 

Tom Dinass was there t#o, in charge with the engineer 
of the skep, to insure a safe descent. 

Then there were lanterns, and Hardock, in addition, 
bore by a strap over his shoulder what looked like a 
large cartouch-box, but its contents were to reload the 
lanterns, being thick tallow candles. 

“ Got plenty of matches, Hardock ? ” said Gwyn 
eagerly. 

“ Oh, yes, sir, two tin boxes full.” 

“We have each a supply of wax matches too, my 
boy,” said the colonel. “ All ready, I think,” he con- 
tinued, turning to the major, who nodded and then said 
to him in a low tone of voice, overheard by the boys in 
addition to him to whom it was addressed : 

“ If anybody had told me six months ago that I should 
do this, I should have called him mad.” 

“ Never mind, old fellow,” said the colonel laughingly ; 
“better than vegetating as we do, and doing nothing. 
It sets my old blood dancing in my veins again to have 
something like an adventure. Well,” he said aloud, “ we 
may as well make a start. By the way, have you any 
lunch to take down?” 


GRIP TAKES AN INTEREST. 


195 


“ Oh, yes,” said the major, tapping a sandwich box in 
his coat-pocket ; “ too old a campaigner to forget my 
rations.” 

“ Right,” said the colonel, tapping his own breast. 
“ Well, boys, if we get lost and don’t come up again by 
sometime next week, you will have to organize a search 
party and come down and find us.” 

“ Better let us come with you, father, to take care of 
you both.” 

The colonel laughed and shook his head. 

“ Now, major,” he cried, “forward ! ” 

The major stepped into the great wooden bucket, the 
colonel followed, and then Sam Hardock took his place 
beside them. 

“ All ready ! ” cried the colonel. “ Now, Hardock, give 
the word.” 

The mining captain obeyed, there was a sharp, clicking 
noise as the engineer touched the brake and the wheel 
overhead began to revolve, and the skep dropped quickly 
and silently down through the square hole in the rough 
plank floor formed over the great square shaft, the pump 
being now still. Then, all at once, as the boys caught 
at the stout railing about the opening and looked 
down, the lanterns taken began to glow softly and grew 
brighter for a time ; then the light decreased, growing 
more and more feeble till it was almost invisible, and 
Gwyn drew a deep breath and looked up at the revolv- 
ing wheel. 

“ Seems precious venturesome, does n’t it?” said Joe. 

“Not half so bad as going down with a rope round 
you, and feeling it coming undone,” said Gwyn. 

“ No, but you did have water to fall into,” said Joe. 


196 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


44 If the wire rope breaks, they ’ll fall on the stone and 
be smashed.” 

44 Ah, yes,” said Tom Dinass, in solemn tones. 44 Be a 
sad business, that.” 

44 Will you be quiet, Tom Dinass ! ” cried Gwyn 
irritably. “You’re always croaking about the mine.” 

44 Nay, sir, not me,” replied the man. 44 It were Mr. 
Joe here as begun talking about the rope breaking and 
their coming down squelch.” 

44 Well, don’t let anybody talk about such things,” 
said Gwyn, who spoke as if he had been running hard. 

“Nearly down now, aren’t they?” 

44 About half, sir,” said the engineer. 

44 Oh, I don’t want to talk,” said Dinass, 44 only one 
can’t help thinking it ’s queer work for two gents to do. 
It ’s a job for chaps like me. Howsoever, I hope they 
won’t come to no harm.” 

Grip growled at something as if in fact he were re- 
senting the man’s words, but it might have been only 
that he was being troubled by that flea which he had 
several times that morning tried to scratch out of his 
thick coat. 

44 You’d better not let them come to harm. I say, 
mind they don’t come down bang at the bottom.” 

44 We ’ll see to that, sir,” said the man, nodding his 
head in the direction of the engineer. 

44 Yes, young gentleman, that ’s all right. I ’ve got the 
depth to an inch, and they ’ll come down as if on to a 
spring.” 

44 1 say, how deep it seems ! ” said Joe, who also was 
rather breathless. 

44 Deep, sir,” said Dinass, with a laugh ; 44 you don’t 


GRIP TAKES AN INTEREST 


197 


call this deep. Why, it ’s nothing to some of the pits out 
St. J ust way, is it, mate ? ” 

“ Nothing at all,” said the engineer. “ This is a baby.” 

“ Rather an old baby,” said Gwyn, smiling. “ Why, 
this must be the oldest mine in Cornwall.” 

“ Dessay it is, sir,” said the man ; and he checked 
the wheel as he spoke, just as an empty skep of the same 
size as that which had descended made its appearance 
and came to a standstill. 

“ Right ! ” came up from below in a hollow whisper, 
and Gwyn drew a deep breath. 

“You two ought to have gone with ’em,” said Dinass, 
“ and had a look round.” 

“ Oh, don’t bother,” said Gwyn petulantly. “ I sup- 
pose we shall have our turn.” 

“No offence meant, sir,” said the man. “ Better let 
me go down with you. Dessay I can show you a lot 
about the mine.” 

“ I suppose it will be all one long passage from the 
bottom,” said Joe. 

“Not it, sir,” said Dinass, holding out his bare arm 
and spreading his fingers. “It’ll go like that. Lode 
runs along for a bit like my wrist, and then spreads out 
like my fingers here, or more like the root of a tree, and 
they pick along there to get the stuff where it runs 
richest. But you ’ll see. We don’t know yet, but judg- 
ing from the water pumped out, this mine must spread a 
very long way. There ’s no knowing how far.” 

“ I say, how long will they stop down? ” said Joe. 

“ Oh, I don’t know,” replied Gwyn. “ Hours, I dare 
say.” 

“ Plenty of time for you young gents to take a boat 


198 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


and have half a day with the bait. There ’s been lots 
jumping out of the water against Ydoll Point. I should 
say they ’d be well on the feed.” 

“ That ’s likely,” said Gwyn. “ You don’t suppose we 
shall leave here till they come up ? ” 

“ Oh, I did n’t know, sir. Makes no difference to me, 
only it ’ll be rather dull waiting.” 

Grip uttered a low, uneasy growl again and looked up 
at his master, and then went to the opening and looked 
down. 

“ Like us to send him down in the skep, sir ? ” said 
Dinass, grinning. “ Better not, p’r’aps, as he might lose 
his way.” 

“ No fear of Grip losing his way, eh, Joe ? ” 

Joe shook his head. 

“ He ’d find his way back from anywhere, if he had 
walked over the ground. Wouldn’t you, Grip?” 

The dog gave a sharp bark as he turned his head and 
then looked down again, whining and uneasy. 

“ What ’s the matter, Grip ? ” said Gwyn. “ It ’s all 
right, old man, — they ’ve gone down. Will you go with 
me?” 

The dog uttered a volley of harks, then turned to 
Dinass and growled. 

“ Quiet, sir ! ” cried Gwyn. “ Look here, Tom Dinass, 

. you must tease him, or he would n’t he so disagreeable 
to you.” 

“ Me ? Me tease him, sir ? Not me ! ” 

“ Well, take my advice,” said Gwyn ; “ don’t. He ’s a 
splendid dog to his friends, so you make good friends 
with him as soon as you can.” 


ANXIOUS TIMES . 


199 


CHAPTER XXIV. 

ANXIOUS TIMES. 

An hour glided by, and not a sound was heard from 
below. Then another hour, and the boys began to grow 
impatient. 

“ Why, the place must be very big,” said Gwyn, after 
straining over the rail and looking down for some time. 
“ Shall I shout?” 

“ Could n’t do no harm,” said Dinass ; and Gwyn hailed 
several times, and then gave place to Joe, who was begin- 
ning to look uncomfortable. 

The second series of shouting produced nothing 
but a dull, smothered echo, and the lad spoke quite 
hoarsely when he turned to Gwyn, who was looking 
angrily at Dinass and the engineer, both of whom sat 
coolly enough close to the skep-shaft waiting the signal 
to lift. 

“Think there’s anything wrong?” said Joe, in a 
whisper. 

“ Oh, no, the place is big. See what a while it took 
to pump it out.” 

“ But there may be deep holes here and there, and it 
would be horrible if they had slipped down one.” 

“They wouldn’t all slip down a hole. If one did 
the others would come for help. No, they ’re thoroughly 
exploring the place and chipping off specimens. I dare- 
say they ’ll bring up quite a load.” 


200 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ I hope so,” said Joe solemnly, and Gwyn, who felt 
very uncomfortable, tried to cheer him up, but in a low 
voice so that the others should not hear. 

“ I say, how strange it is that if any one does n’t come 
back when you expect him, you are sure to think he has 
met with an accident.” 

“I don’t, if they’ve only gone out,” said Joe, with a 
shiver. “ This is n’t like that. This place seems to me 
now quite awful.” 

“ Pooh ! I say, I believe you ’d go down and look for 
them if you might.” 

“Yes,” said Joe quickly ; “I shouldn’t like to, but I 
would.” 

“I wonder what it’s like down below — all long, nar- 
row passages roughly cut through the rock,” said Gwyn ; 
“ they would n’t cut so carefully as they do now.” 

“ No ; as they say, the old people would only cut 
where the lode of ore ran, of course. But I hope there ’s 
nothing wrong.” 

“ Of course you do ; so do I. What ’s the good of 
fidgeting ? ” 

Joe did not say what was the good of fidgeting, but 
he fidgeted all the same ; and Gwyn noted as the time 
went on that his companion looked quite hollow-cheeked, 
while at the same time he felt a peculiar sinking sensa- 
tion that was very much like dread ; and at last, as over 
two hours and a half had passed, he began to feel that 
something ought to be done. 

Joe not only felt, but said so, and frowned angrily as 
he spoke. 

“It’s too bad,” he said; “those two sit there as 
coolly and contentedly as if nothing could be the mat- 


ANXIOUS TIMES. 


201 


ter. I say, Dinass,” he cried aloud, “ do you think there 
is anything wrong ? ” 

“ No, sir,” said the man coolly. “I don’t. They’re 
only having a good long prowl. You ’ll hear ’em shout 
to be taken up directly.” 

But the boys did not feel satisfied, and hung about 
the opening, growing more and more uneasy, though 
Gwyn kept the best face on the . matter. 

“ Don’t fidget,” he said. “ Father was only joking, of 
course, about time, but he knew they ’d be down a long 
while, and he meant to be. They ’re all right.” 

“They’re not all right,” said Joe quickly. “They 
can’t be, or we should have heard from them. They ’ve 
either fallen down some hole, or the roof has come down 
and crushed them, or they’ve lost their way in some 
wild, out-of-the-way part of the mine. Let’s call for 
volunteers, and go down and search for them.” 

“ Hush ! Be qui^t ! Don’t be hysterical,” whispered 
Gwyn ; “ there ’s no need to call for volunteers. I feel 
sure I know what it means : this old mine must be very, 
very big, perhaps winds about for miles in all directions, 
and they’re only having a good long hunt now they are 
down. They ’d laugh at us if we were to send volun- 
teers down.” 

“ Send volunteers down ? ” said Joe. 

“ Well, lead them, then. Wait a bit and see.” 

“ They ’ve been overcome by choke-damp.” 

“Nonsense! That’s only in coal-pits. Don’t let those 
two see what a fidget we ’re in.” 

“ Don’t see that you’re in any fidget,” said Joe bitterly. 
“ You take it coolly enough.” 

“ Outside,” said Gwyn ; “ perhaps I feel as much as 


202 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


you do, only I don’t show it* J oe, I would n’t have my 
mother know about this for all the world. It would 
frighten her to death, and if we get talking about vol- 
unteers going down, some one is sure to go and tell her 
that we ’re in trouble, and she ’ll come on.” 

“ But we must do something. They may be dying for 
want of help.” 

“ Don’t,” whispered Gwyn angrily ; “ you ’re as bad 
as a girl. Try and think about how they ’re situated. 
Perhaps there are miles of passages below there and they 
would be hours wandering about. Of course they go 
slowly.” 

“ Could n’t be miles of passages,” said J oe piteously. 

“ Think the mine ’s very big, Dinass ? ” said Gwyn 
quietly. 

“ Oh, yes, sirs, bigger than I thought for.” 

“ Some mines are very far to the end, arn’t they ? ” 

“Miles,” said the man calmly, and Gwyn gave his 
companion a nudge. “ I ’ve been in some of ’em myself. 
Why, I know of one passage, — an adit as goes from 
mine to mine to get rid of the pumpings, — and it’s 
somewhere about thirty miles long.” 

“ Hear that, Joe ? ” whispered Gwyn. 

“Yes, I hear,” said the lad breathlessly. 

“ I don ’t say there ’s anything of the kind here, of 
course ; but I know one place where there ’s more than 
sixty miles o’ workings, and it would take some time to 
go all over that, would n’t it? ” 

The boys were silent, and the engineer went on : 

“ Oh, yes, that ’s right enough,” he said ; “ and to my 
mind it’s rather bad for any folk strange to go down a 
mine they know nothing about.” 


ANXIOUS TIMES . 


203 


Joe started violently. 

“You see it’s all noo to ’em,” continued the engineer, 
“and they may wander away into places they know 
nothing about, and never find their way out again.” 

“Gwyn!” groaned Joe. 

“ Hush ! Be quiet,” was whispered back. 

“ I have heard of such things.” 

“ But that was in deserted mines,” said Gwyn sharply. 

“ Yes, I believe it was in deserted mines, now you 
say so, sir.” 

“ Of course it was, J oe, where nobody knew that they 
had gone down.” 

“How could they have gone down without any one 
knowing? ” cried Joe. “ There must have been some one 
to let them down.” 

“Nay, they might have been venturesome and gone 
down by ladders, same as the old ones used to be from 
sollar to sollar.” 

“ What ’s a sollar ? ” said Gwyn, more for the sake of 
saying something than from a desire to know. 

“ What you calls platforms or floors,” said Dinass. 
“Well, I will say one thing: Ido hope the guv’nors 
have n’t lost their way.” 

“ Of course, mate,” said the engineer ; “ so do I ; but 
if I was you, young gents, I should begin to feel a little 
uncomfortable about them below.” 

“We are, horribly,” cried Joe wildly. 

“ Exactly so, sir, for you see it must be getting on for 
four hours since they started.” 

“ Nay, not so much as that,” cried Dinass. 

“ I did n’t say it was, mate. I only said it was getting 
on for four hours. There may n’t be nothing wrong, but 


204 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


there may be, and there would n’t be no harm in doing 
something now. What do you say to getting some of 
the lads to go ? They was talking about it when I went 
outside, as I told Mate Dinass here, did n’t I, my son ? ” 

“ Ay, you did. What do you say, Mr. Gwyn ? ” 

“ It is time to act,” said Joe excitedly. 

“ Yes,” said Gwyn, as he drew a deep breath, “ we 
must do something. Get lanterns and candles.” 

“ Shall I call to some of the men, sir,” said Dinass, 
“and hear what they say?” 

The answer came from the doorway, where three or 
four heads appeared, and one of the owners said : 

“ I say, mates, ain’t it time we heerd something about 
them as is gone down ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Gwyn firmly; “we ’re going down to see. 
Will you come with me, Joe?” 

The boy’s lips parted, though no words came ; but he 
put out his hand and gripped his companion’s fast. 

“ Get lights, some of you, quick ! ” cried Gywn ; and a 
murmur was heard outside, a murmur that increased till 
it was a loud cheer, and then distinctly from outside a 
voice was heard to say: 

“ Hear that, mates ? The young masters are going 
down.” 

And as if to indorse this, Grip, who had suddenly 
grown excited, burst into a loud bark. 


TRUE TO THE CORE . 


205 


CHAPTER XXV. 

TRUE TO THE CORE. , 

“ Do yon mean it, Master Gwyn ? ” said Dinass 
sharply. 

“Mean it? Of course. You’re used to mines — 
you ’ll come with us and help.” 

The man’s mouth opened widely and he stared for a 
few moments before he spoke. 

“Help to get lanterns and candles, sir? Yes, of 
course.” 

“Come down with us,” said Gwyn sharply. “You 
can’t let us go alone.” 

“ Not let you go alone, sir ? ” growled the man surlily. 
“ Well, you see ” — 

“Yes, we see,” cried Gwyn, “you have been used to 
mines, we have not.” 

“ Much used to this one as I am, sir. I don’t know no 
more about it than you do.” 

“ Course you don’t, matey,” said the engineer ; “ hut 
you can’t say you won’t go with ’em to look for the 
guv’nors and our mate.” 

“Can’t I? Yes, I can, easy,” cried Dinass fiercely. 
“ I won’t go. There ! ” 

“ Yah ! ” came in a fierce growl from the men outside. 

“ Ah, but you don’t mean it,” cried the engineer. 

“Yes, I do,” cried Dinass ; “don’t you be so precious 


206 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


handy sending people where they don’t want to go. 
Why don’t you go yourself?” 

“ How can I go ? ” said the engineer sharply ; “ my 
dooty ’s here. Can you manage the skep and rope ? ” 

“ How do I know till I try ? ” growled Dinass. 

44 Try ? Why, you ’d he smashing, or overrunning, or 
doing some mischief. I ’ve no right to leave my work 
while any one ’s down, and I won’t leave it, but I ’d go 
if I was free.” 

“ Tom Dinass will go,” said Joe ; “ you can’t leave 
us in the lurch like this.” 

44 Course not ; it ’s his gammon,” cried a man at the 
opening into the shed-like place ; 44 you ’ll go, mate.” 

44 Ay, he ’ll go,” rose in chorus. 

44 No, he won’t,” said Dinass angrily; 44 1 get five and 
twenty shilling a week for working here, not for going 
to chuck away my life.” 

44 Gahn ! ” shouted a man ; 44 your life ain’t worth more 
nor no one else’s. Who are you ? ” 

44 Never you mind who I am,” growled Dinass; 44 1 
ain’t going to chuck away my life, and so I tell you.” 

44 Who wants you to chuck away your life ? Go on 
down like a man,” said the engineer. 

44 You go yourself, I ’ll take care o’ the engines,” cried 
Dinass. 

44 That will do,” said Gwyn quietly. 44 Let us have 
the candles, please, — quick.” 

44 Oh, you ’re not going down alone, young gen’le- 
men,” said the man at the doorway who had spoken the 
most. 44 Some on us ’ll go with you if he won’t, but the 
guv’nors made him second-like to Master Hardock, and 
he ought to go, and he will too, or we ’ll make him.” 


TRUE TO THE CORE. 


207 


“ Oh, will you ! ” cried Dinass fiercely ; “ and how will 
you make me ? ” 

44 Why, if you don’t go down like a man along with 
the young masters, we ’ll tie you neck and crop and 
stuff you in the skep, and two more of us ’ll come too, 
and make you go first. What do you say to that ? ” 

44 Say you dare n’t,” cried Dinass. 

44 What do you say, lads ? ” cried the man. 

44 Oh, we ’ll make him go,” came in chorus. 

By this time, as Dinass stood there angry and defiant, 
the engineer had produced a candle-box and lit a couple 
of lanterns, when Gwyn and Joe each took one and 
stepped to the empty skep, followed by Grip, who curled 
up by their feet. 

44 Can’t go like that, young gents. Them caps won’t 
do. Here, who ’ll lend the young masters hats ? ” 

A couple of the strong leathern hats were eagerly 
offered, but only one would fit, and a fresh selection had 
to be made. 

44 Better have flannel jackets, sir,” said the engineer to 
Gwyn. 

44 No, no, we can’t wait for anything else. Come, Joe. 
Now let us down.” 

He raised the ringed rail which protected the hole, 
and stepped into the skep, followed by Joe, lantern in 
hand, and with the candle-box slung from his shoulder. 

44 Now, Tom Dinass,” cried the engineer, 44 in with 
you.” 

44 Nay, I don’t go this time,” was the surly reply, as 
Dinass looked sharply round at the men who had crowded 
into the shed, and, in response to a meaning nod from the 
engineer, began to edge nearer to him. 


208 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“Are you quite ready, Joe? Lower away,” cried 
Gwyn. 

“Wait a minute, sir,” said the engineer; “you arn’t 
quite ready. Now then, Dinass, be a man.” 

“ Oh, I ’m man enough,” said the miner, taking out his 
pipe and tobacco, “ but I don’t go down this time, I tell 
you.” 

“ Yes, you do,” said the man who had spoken. 
“ Ready ? ” 

“ Nay,” cried Dinass, thrusting back his pipe and 
pouch, and catching up a miner’s pick, which he swung 
round his head, “ keep back, you cowards ! You ’re 
afraid to go yourselves, and you want to force me. 
Keep off, or I ’ll do some one a mischief. There is n’t 
one of you as dare tackle me like a man.” 

“ Oh, yes, there is,” cried the first speaker ; “ any of 
us would. Now, once more, will you go down with the 
young gentlemen ? ” 

“ Go yourself. No ! ” 

“Oh, I ’d go, but it’s your job. You’re made next 
to Master Sam Hardock, so just show that you ’re worth 
the job.” 

“ Lower away there,” cried Dinass, “ and let the boys 
go down theirselves.” 

“Not me,” said the engineer. 

“Right,” said the leader of the men. “Now, Tom 
Dinass, this time settles it : will you go down ? ” 

“No!” 

“ Then here goes to make you.” 

The man dashed at Dinass, who struck at him with the 
pick, but the handle was cleverly caught, the tool wrested 
from his hand and thrown on the floor, while before the 


TRUE TO THE CORE. 


209 


striker could recover himself, he was seized, there was a 
short struggle, and his opponent, who was a clever Cor- 
nish wrestler, gave him what is termed the crass buttock, 
lifted him from the ground, and laid him heavily on his 
back. 

The men raised a frantic cheer of delight which jarred 
on the two boys in their terribly anxious state, though 
all the same they could not help feeling satisfied at see- 
ing Dinass prostrated and lying helpless with the miner’s 
foot upon his chest. 

44 Let him get up,” said Gwyn ; “ we ’d sooner go alone 
than with him ; but if you ’ll come with us I should be 
glad.” 

44 I ’d come with you, sir, or any on us would ” — 

44 Ay, ay,” chorused the men. 

44 But we feel as miners that when a man ’s got his 
dooty to do, he must do it. So Master Tom Dinass here 
must go by fair means or foul.” 

44 1 ’ll go,” growled Dinass. 44 Set o’ cowards, ten or 
a dozen on you again one.” 

44 Nay, there was only one again you, with bare hands 
and without a pick. You go down, mate, and when 
you come up t’ others ’ll see fair, and I ’ll show you 
whether I’m a coward.” 

44 Don’t I tell you I ’ll go ? ” growled Dinass. 44 Let me 
get up.” 

44 Do you mean it? No games, or it ’ll be the worse 
for you,” said the miner sternly. 

44 1 said I ’d go with them,” growled Dinass. 44 1 arn’t 
afraid, but I warn’t engaged to do this sort of thing.” 

44 You ’ll go, then ? ” 

44 Are you deaf? Yers-s-s !” roared Dinass; and as 


210 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


the miner took his foot from the prostrate man’s chest 
another moved to the doorway to guard against retreat. 

If Dinass had any intention of breaking away he did 
not show it. He rose to his feet, shook himself, and 
picking up his hat, which had been knocked off, put 
it on, took it off again, glanced round for one he con- 
sidered suitable, snatched it from its wearer’s head, put 
it on his own, and pitched the one he had worn to the 
miner he had robbed, and then stepped into the skep. 

“ There you are,” he said. “Now then, lower away,” 
and as he spoke he stooped down quickly, seized the 
dog by the collar, and swung him out of the skep. 

“ Don’t ! Don't do that ! ” cried Gwyn, as Grip set 
up a furious harking. “ Let the dog come.” 

But his words were too late : the rail was clapped 
down, the engineer had seized the handle, there was a 
clang, a sharp blow upon a gong, and it seemed to the 
hoys that the floor they had just left had suddenly shot 
up to the ceiling. Then it gave place to a glow of light 
dotted with heads, and amidst a low murmur of voices 
there rose the furious barking of a dog. 

Directly after they were conscious of the singular 
sensation that is felt when in a swing and descending 
after the rise, but in a greatly intensified way. Then 
the glow overhead grew fainter and smaller, and the lan- 
terns they held seemed to burn more brightly, while a 
peculiar whishing, dripping noise made itself heard, tell- 
ing of water oozing from some seam. 

“For we always are so jolly, oh! So jolly, oh! So 
jolly, oh ! ” said Dinass, in a harsh, discordant voice. 
“ How do you like this, youngsters ? ” 

Neither of the hoys answered, hut the same thought 


TRUE TO THE CORE. 


211 


came to them both — that their companion was singing 
to make a show of his courage. 

“ I did n’t want to fight,” continued Dinass, “ but I 
could have knocked that fellow Harry Vores into the 
middle of next week if I ’d liked. I ’d have come down 
too without any fuss, if they ’d asked me properly ; but 
I ’m not going to be bullied and driven, so I tell ’em.” 

Still neither Gwyn nor Joe spoke, but stood listening 
to the dripping water, and wondered at the easy way in 
which the skep went down past platform and beam, 
whose presence was only shown by the gleam of the wet 
wood as the lanterns passed ; and still down and 
down for what seemed to be an interminable length of 
time. * 

They knew that they must have passed the openings 
of several horizontal galleries, but they saw no signs of 
them as they stood drawing their breath hard, till all at 
once the skep stopped and Dinass shouted boisterously : 

“ Here we are — bottom. Give ’s hold o’ one o’ them 
lanterns, or we shall be in the sump.” 

He snatched one of the lanterns Joe carried, held it 
down, and stepped off the skep. 

“ It ’s all right,” he said ; “ there ’s some planking here.” 

The two boys followed and looked down into the 
black, thick water of the sump, or great tank into which 
the drainings of the mine ran ready for being pumped 
up ; and now Gwyn held up his light to try to pene- 
trate the gloom, but could only dimly trace the entrance 
of what appeared to be a huge arch-roofed cavern, and 
as they stepped over the rough, wet granite beneath it, 
Dinass placed a hand to the side of his mouth and 
uttered a stentorian hail, which went echoing and rolling 


212 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


along before them, to be answered quite plainly from 
somewhere at a distance. • 

A load fell from Gwyn’s breast, and he uttered a sigh 
of relief. 

44 It ’s all right, Joe,” he said. 44 There they are, but 
some distance in. Come on.” 

He led the way, Joe followed, and Dinass came last 
with the other lantern ; and in a few minutes the great 
archway contracted and grew lower and lower, till it 
very nearly met overhead, and the sides of the place 
were so near that they could in places have been touched 
by the extended hands. 

44 Hold hard a moment,” said Dinass, after they had 
gone *on a short distance ; and as the boys turned to him 
wonderingly he continued : 44 This here ’s the main 

lead, of course, but it’s sure to begin striking out 
directly right and left, like the roots of a tree. What 
you ’ve got to do ’s to keep to the main lead, and not go 
striking off either side. It’s not very easy, because 
they ’re often as big as one another. That ’s what I 
wanted to say to you as one thing to mind. T’ other ’s 
to keep a sharp lookout for ways downward to lower 
levels ; there would be no railings left round ’em, ’cause 
the wood ’ll all have rotted away ; so keep your light low 
down, and if you see a place like a square well, don’t 
step into it. You won’t break your neck, ’cause it ’ll 
be full of water, because the pumping has n’t reached 
down there, but you might be drowned, for it ain’t likely 
I ’m coming down after you.” 

44 1 ’ll take care,” said Gwyn, with his voice sounding 
husky; and Joe nodded, with his eyes looking wild and 
dilated. 


TRUE TO THE CORE. 


213 


“ That ’s all I wanted to say,” said Dinass, “ so on 
you go.” 

“ Give another shout,” said Gwyn, “ and let them 
know we ’re here.” 

“What for?” said the man roughly. 

“You heard what I said — to let them know we ’re 
here. They answered before, hut I suppose voices 
travel a long way.” 

“ Sometimes,” said the man, with a strange laugh. 

“ Shout, then ; your voice is louder than ours,” said 
Gwyn. 

“ What ’s the good o’ shouting ? They ’re miles away 
somewhere.” 

“No, no, you heard them answer.” 

“No, I didn’t,” said the man contemptuously; “that 
was only eckers.” 

“ What ? ” cried Gwyn, with his heart seeming to 
stand still. 

“ Eckers. Hark here ! ” 

He put his hand to his mouth, and proved the truth 
of his words. 

« Sam ! ” 

“ Sam ! ” very softly. 

“Har!” 

“Har!” 

“Dock!” 

“Dock!” 

The echo coming some moments after the calls, in a 
peculiar weird way. 

“ Sam ’ Ardock ! ” shouted Dinass then, with a loudness 
and suddenness which made the boys start. 

“ Dock ! ” came back from evidently a great distance, 


214 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


giving such an idea of mystery and depth that the boys 
could hardly repress a shudder. 

“ Only eckers,” said the man ; “ and as old Sam Har- 
dock would say, it ’s a gashly great unked place, but I 
think there ’s some tin in it. Look there and there ! ” 

He held up the lantern he carried close to the roof, 
which sparkled with little purplish-black grains running 
in company with a reddish bloom, as if from rouge, 
amongst the bright quartz of the tunnel. 

“Oh, never mind the tin,” cried Joe. “Pray, pray, 
go on ; we ’re losing time.” 

“Yes, make haste,” said Gwyn. “We’d better keep 
straight along here, and stop and shout at every opening 
or turning.” 

“ Yes, that will be right,” said Joe. “ Only do keep on. 
My father is so weak from his illness that I ’m afraid 
he has broken down. I ought not to have let him come.” 

The words seemed strangely incongruous and made 
Gwyn glance at his companion, but it was the tender 
nurse speaking, who had so often waited upon the major 
through his campaign-born illnesses, and there was no 
call for mirth. 

Onward they went along the rugged tunnel, which 
wound and zigzagged in all directions, the course of the 
ancient miners having been governed by the track of the 
lode of tin ; and soon after they came to where a vein 
had run off to their left, and been laboriously cut out 
with chisel, hammer, and pick. 

They shouted till the echoes they raised whispered 
and died away in the distance, but there was nothing to 
induce them to pause, and they went on again, to stop 
directly after by an opening by their right, where they 


TRUE TO THE CORE. 


215 


again shouted in turn till they were hoarse, and once 
more went on, to find branch after branch running from 
the main trunk — if main trunk it was ; but all efforts 
were vain, and an hour must have gone by, nearly a 
quarter of which at the last had been here and there 
along the rugged gallery, without encountering a branch 
which showed where another vein had been followed. 

It was very warm, and the slippery moisture of the 
place produced a feeling of depression that was fast 
ripening into despair. At first they had talked a good 
deal concerning tjie probabilities of the exploring party 
coming out into the main trunk from one of the branches 
they had passed, but, as Gwyn said, they dared not reckon 
upon this, and must keep on now they were there ; and 
at last they were trudging on almost in silence, the 
tramping of their feet and its quaint echoes being all 
that was heard, while three black shadows followed after 
them along the rugged floor, like three more explorers 
watching to see which way they went. 

All at once the silence was broken by Joe, who cried 
in a sharp, angry way : 

“ Stop ! Your candle ’s going out.” 

Gwyn stopped without turning, opened the door of 
the lantern, and uttered an ejaculation. 

“ Quite time,” he said ; “ burned right down. I ’ll 
put in another candle.” 

The box was opened, a fresh one taken out, its loose 
wick burned and blown off in sparks, and then it was lit 
and stuck in the molten grease of the socket. 

“You had better have another candle in yours, 
Dinass,” said Joe, and he watched Gwyn’s actions 
impatiently, while the lad carefully trimmed the wick 


216 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


and waited till the grease of the socket cooled enough 
to hold the fresh candle firm. 

“I said you’d better have a fresh candle,” said Joe, 
u and you ought to give another good shout here before 
we start again.” 

There was no reply. 

“Well, did you hear what was said?” cried Gwyn, 
closing and fastening his lantern. 

Still there was no answer. 

“ Here, Tom Dinass,” cried Gwyn, raising his lantern 
as he turned to look back. “ Why don’t you do what 
you ’re told?” 

His answer was a sudden snatch at his arm by Joe, 
who clung to it in a fierce way. 

“What’s the matter? Arn’t you well? Oh, I say, 
you must hold up now. Here, Tom Dinass.” 

“ Gone ! ” gasped Joe, in a low whisper full of horror. 

“ Gone? Nonsense ! He was here just now.” 

“ No. It ’s ever so long since he spoke to us. Gwyn, 
he has gone back and left us.” 

“ Left us ? What, alone here ? ” faltered Gwyn, as the 
gray sparkling roof seemed to revolve before his eyes. 

“Yes, alone here, Gwyn. Ydoll, old chap, it’s hor- 
rible. Can we ever find our way back ?” 


TO THE BITTER END. 


217 


CHAPTER XXVI. 

TO THE BITTER END. 

If ever an awful silence fell upon two unfortunate 
beings, it was upon those two, deep down in the straiige 
mazes of the ancient mine. For some moments neither 
could speak, but each stood gazing at his companion, 
with the two shadows strangely mingled upon the rug- 
ged, faintly glittering wall. 

Joe was the first to speak again, for his passionately 
uttered question was not answered. 

“ He warned us to beware of the holes and places, and 
he must have slipped down one.” 

“Not he ! ” said Gwyn bitterly, as he stood scowling 
into the darkness. “He warned us when he was making 
up his mind to hang back and leave us. A miserable 
coward ! ” 

“ You think that ? ” 

“ I ’m sure of it. A sneak ! A miserable hound ! 
Oh, how could any one who calls himself a man act like 
this?” 

“ Perhaps he is close at hand, after all. Let ’s try,” 
cried Joe; and he uttered a long, piercing hail again 
and again, but with no other result than to raise the 
solemn echoes, which sounded awe-inspiring, and so 
startling that the lad ceased and gazed piteously at his 
companion. 


218 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“Feel scared, Joe?” said Gwyn at last. 

Joe nodded. 

“So do I. It’s very cowardly, of course, but the 
place is so creepy and strange.” 

“Yes; let’s get back. We can’t do any more, can 
we?” 

Gwyn made no reply, but stood with his brows knit, 
staring straight before him into the darkness beyond the 
dim halo cast by the lantern. 

“ Why don’t you speak ? Say something,” cried Joe, 
half hysterically; but though Gwyn’s lips moved, no 
sounds came. 

“ Gwyn ! ” cried Joe again. “ Say something. What ’s 
the good of us two being mates, if we don’t try to help 
each other ? ” 

“ I was trying to help you,” said Gwyn at last, in a 
strange voice he hardly knew as his own ; “ but I was 
thinking so much I could n’t speak, I could n’t get out a 
word.” 

“Well, think aloud. Keep talking, or I shall go 
mad.” 

“With fright?” said Gwyn slowly. 

“ I don’t know what it is, but I feel as if I can’t bear 
it. Say something.” 

“ W ell, that ’s just how I feel, and I want to get over 
it, but I can’t.” 

There was another pause, and then, as if in a rage 
with himself, Gwyn burst out : 

“We’re not babies just woke up in the dark, and 
ready to call for our mothers to help us.” 

“ I called for mine to help me, though you could not 
hear,” said Joe simply; and his words sounded so 


TO THE BITTER END. 


219 


strangely impressive that Gwyn uttered a sound like a 
gasp. 

“ What is there to be afraid of ? ” he cried passion- 
ately ; “ we ought to be savagely angry instead, and 
ready to feel that we could half kill that cowardly 
hound for forsaking us like this. T know what you feel, 
Joe, — that we must hurry back as fast as we can to the 
foot of the shaft, and shout to them to haul us out.” 

“ But do you really think Tom Dinass has sneaked 
back?” 

“ I ’m sure he has, out of spite, because he was forced 
to come ; and when we got back he would be one of the 
first to grin and sneer at us. I want to run back as 
fast as I can, but you ’ll stand by me, won’t you ? ” 

“ Of course I will.” 

“I know that, old chap. Well, what did we come 
for? ” 

“ You know — to try and find them.” 

“ Yes, and I’m getting better now. I couldn’t help 
feeling scared. We ’re alone here, but we won’t give up. 
We ’ve got to find them somehow, and we will. I shan’t 
turn back, for mother’s sake. How could I go and tell 
her I came down to try and find them, and was afraid to 
go on in the dark ? ” 

“Do you mean it?” said Joe, whose face was of a 
ghastly white. 

“ Yes, and you won’t turn as you did on the ladder ? ” 

“ No.” 

' “ There was something to be afraid of then, but there 
is n’t now.” 

“No,” said Joe, with a gasp. 

“We ’ve got a light and can avoid any pit-holes ; the 


220 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


water has all been pumped out, and there are only the 
pools we passed here and there. Nothing can hurt us 
here, for the roof won’t fall ; it ’s too strong, cut all 
through the rock as it is.” 

u Yes, but if we go on and lose ourselves as they have 
done ” — 

“Well, we must find our way again; and if we can’t 
we must wait till somebody comes.” 

“ Here ? Alone ? ” 

“We shan’t be alone, because we’re together.” 

“ But do you think any one would come ? ” 

“Do you think all those men would stop hanging 
about the mouth, knowing we ’re lost, and not come and 
help us ? I don’t.” 

“No. Englishmen wouldn’t do that,” said Joe 
slowly. “ Let ’s go on. I ’m not so scared now, but it 
is very horrible and lonely. Suppose the light went 
out?” 

“ Well, we ’d strike a match and start another candle.” 

“ Ah, you ’ve got some matches, then ? ” 

“Yes, a whole box. No, I have n’t — not one.” 

“Ydoll!” cried Joe, in a despairing voice. 

“ But we ’ve got plenty of candles, and we ’ll take 
care to keep them alight. Now then, if we stand still 
we shall lose heart again. Ready ? ” 

“ Yes.” 

“ Come on, then ! ” and setting his teeth and holding 
the lantern well above his eyes, Gwyn led the way 
farther into the solemn darkness of the newly dried-out 
mine. 


REVERSAL OF POSITION. 


221 


CHAPTER XXVII. 

REVERSAL OF POSITION. 

The afternoon had glided by and evening was ap- 
proaching fast, as the men gathered about the mouth of 
the mine sat and chatted about the place and its pros- 
pects. Work had been suspended for the greater part of 
the day, to allow the owners to make an inspection, and 
the men held quite a discussion meeting as to how 
matters would prove. 

Some were of opinion that they would have, perhaps, 
a few weeks’ work and then be dismissed, but among 
those who took the opposite view was Harry Vores, the 
miner who had behaved so well that day. 

“ I don’t think it will be so,” he said. “ This is a 
gashly old mine ; and depend upon it when it was 
worked they did n’t get half out of it. I begin to think 
that we shall soon find a lot more men will be wanted, 
and I hope it will be so, for the pluck these two gentle- 
men have shown. We want a few more good mines to 
be going in the country, for things have been bad enough 
lately.” 

Others took his side, and as the time went on and 
there was no signal from the bottom of the shaft, that 
was discussed as well. 

“Oh, they ’ll be all right,” said Harry Vores. “The 
place is bigger than we thought, but we ought to have 


222 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


known, seeing what a sight of water was pumped out. 
They’ve only gone farther than they expected, and 
we shall be 'having them all up in a bunch directly.” 

He had hardly uttered these words when the gong 
arranged for signaling gave three tings and the engi- 
neer responded by standing by to hoist. 

Another signal was sent up, and the wheel began to 
revolve, the wire rope tightened, and the empty skep 
descended. 

“ Won’t bring ’em all up at once, will you, mate?” 
said Harry Vores. 

“No, two lots,” said the engineer; and the men all 
eagerly gathered round the place to see, when they came 
up, the explorers of a mine which had not been entered 
probably for hundreds of years and to learn what report 
they would have to give of the prospects of the place. 

The rope ran over the wheel almost silently, for the 
work had been well done ; and as they were waiting, Grip, 
who had passed the greater part of his time watching 
the place where he had seen his master disappear, grew 
more and more excited, and kept on bursting into loud 
fits of barking till the ascending skep appeared, when he 
bounded away among the men, barking, snarling, and 
growling savagely, for the only occupant of the skep 
was Dinass. 

“ Halloo ! ” cried Yores, as the man stepped out, muddy 
and wet, and with his cheeks reddened by the minerals 
which had discolored his hands, and looking as if he had 
rubbed his face from time to time. 

“ Halloo to you ! ” he said sourly ; and he sat down at 
once upon a rough bench, with the water slowly dripping 
from his legs and boots. 


REVERSAL OF POSITION. 


223 


“ Where are the young guv’nors ? — Lie down, dog ! ” 

“Young guy’nors ? ” said Dinass, looking wonder- 
ingly round a,s he slowly took the lantern from where 
it swung to his waist by a strap. 

“ Yes, where are they? ” cried Yores. 

“How should I know?” growled Dinass. “ Arn’t 
they up here ? ” 

“ Here ? No ; we have n’t seen them since they went 
down with you,” cried Yores. 

“More ain’t I, hardly. I thought they’d come up 
again.” 

“ Come up again ! ” cried the miner, as a low murmur 
arose from the men around. “ You don’t mean to say 
3^ou ’ve come up and left them two poor boys in the 
lurch?” 

“ Lurch be hanged ! ” cried Dinass fiercely, and now 
subsiding with a groan as if he were in pain. “ It ’s 
them left me in the lurch. They started a game on me. 
I saw ’em whispering together, but I didn’t think it 
meant anything till we ’d got some ways in and my 
candle wanted a bit o’ snuffing to make it burn ; so I 
kneels down and opens the lantern, and it took a bit 
o’ time, for I wetted my thumb and finger to snuff it, 
and the wick sputtered after, and the light went out. 
Course I had my box o’ matches, but it took a bit o’ 
time to light the damp wick. At last, though, I got it to 
burn, but it went out again, and I turns to them where 
they was waiting for me when I see ’em last. 4 Give ’s 
a fresh candle, sir,’ I says, ‘for this here one won’t 
burn.’ But there was no answer. So I speaks louder, 
never thinking they was playing me any larks; but 
there was no answer, and I shouted and there was 


224 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


no answer, and last of all I regilarly got the horrors on 
me, for I was all alone in the dark.” 

44 Well,” said Yores scornfully, 44 what then ?” 

44 Oh, then I begun wandering about hours and hours 
in the dark, shouting and hollering and going half mad. 
It’s a horrid place, and I must have gone about for 
miles before I found my way back to the sump, 
and nearly fell into it. But have n’t they come up 
again? ” 

44 No,” said Yores, who had hurried up and opened the 
lantern as the man went on talking ; “ but how was it 
when your candle wouldn’t light again that it’s all 
burnt down in the socket?” 

44 Oh, I did get it to light at last of all,” said Dinass ; 
“but I had to burn all my matches first, and hadn’t one 
left for a pipe.” 

44 But you said you went about all in the dark.” 

44 Yes, that was afterwards, for it soon burned out.” 

44 Soon burned out!” cried Yores fiercely. 44 Look 
here, mates : this fellow ’s a stranger here, and I don’t 
know why he should have been set over us, for he ’s a 
liar, that ’s what he is. He did n’t want to go down, and 
as soon as he could he hung back and let those two poor 
boys- go on all by themselves.” 

44 What ! ” cried Dinass, as a murmur arose ; 44 it ’s you 
that ’s the liar,” and he rose fiercely. 

44 Dessay I am,” said Yores as fiercely, 44 but I ’m a 
honest sort of liar if I am, and not a coward and a 
sneak, am I, lads?” 

44 Nay, that you arn’t, Harry Vores,” cried another 
miner. 44 We ’ll all say that.” 

44 Ay ! Shame, shame ! ” cried the miners. 


REVERSAL OF POSITION. 


225 


“ I ’ll lay a halfpenny he ’s been waiting at the bottom 
of the shaft all the time, and then came up.” 

“Get out of the way,” roared Yores ; “this is men’s 
work, not cowards’. Here, lads, come on ! We must go 
and fetch those boys up at once.” 

He gave Dinass a heavy thrust with his hand as he . 
spoke, and the man staggered back against Grip, who 
retaliated by seizing him by the leg of the trousers and 
hanging on till he was kicked away. 

But this incident was hardly noticed, for the men were 
busily arming themselves with lanterns and candles ready 
for the descent. 

“Four of us ’ll be enough,” said Yores, every man 
present having come forward to descend. “Perhaps 
Tom Dinass, Esquire, would like to go too, though. If 
so, we can make room for him.” 

There was a roar of laughter at this, and Dinass glared 
round at the men as he stood holding one leg resting on 
the bench, as if it had been badly bitten by the dog. 

“Ready?” said Yores. 

“ Ay, ay,” was answered. 

“ Come on, then, and let ’s get the boys up. Dessay 
they ’ve found their fathers before now.” 

Yores stepped to the skep and laid his hand on the 
rail just as the last lantern was lit and snapped to, 
when there was the sharp ting on the gong again, the 
signal from below, and the men gave a hearty cheer. 

“ Give another, my lads,” cried Yores ; and instead of 
taking their places in the empty skep the men stood 
round and saw it descend, while they watched the other 
portion of the endless wire rope beginning to ascend 
steadily with its burden of the laden skep. 


226 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ I would n’t stand in your boots for a week’s wage, 
my lad,” said Yores banteringly, as he looked toward 
where Dinass stood, still resting his leg on the bench 
and holding it as if it were badly hurt. 

“ You mind your own business,” he growled. 

“ Ay, to be sure, mate ; but when a brother workman ’s 
in trouble it is one ’s business to help him. You ’re in 
trouble now. Like a man to run and get a doctor to see 
to that hole the dog made in your trousers ? ” 

There was a roar of laughter. 

“Don’t grin, mates,” said Yores; “they’re nearly a 
new pair, and there ’s a hole made in the leg. He thinks 
it ’s in his skin.” 

There was another roar of laughter, which made 
Dinass look viciously round, his eyes lighting tartly on 
the dog, who had gone close up to the opening where 
the skep would rise, and kept on whining anxiously. 

“Smells his master,” said Yores; and the dog then 
uttered a sharp bark as the top of the skep appeared, 
with the link and iron bands attached to the wire rope. 

Then, to the surprise of all, Colonel Pendarve, the 
major, and Sam Hardock stepped out, their trousers wet, 
their mackintoshes and flannels discolored, and their 
faces wet with perspiration. 

“Here you are, then, gentlemen,” said Yores; “we 
thought you were lost. The young gents are waiting 
to come up, I s’pose.” 

“Young gents — waiting to come up?” said the 
colonel, who had just looked round with a disappointed 
air at not seeing his son waiting. “ What do you 
mean ? ” 

“We all got tired o’ waiting, and scared at your being 


REVERSAL OF POSITION. 


227 


so long, sir ; and the young gents went down with Tom 
Dinass to seek for you.” 

“ What ? I don’t understand you,” cried the colonel 
excitedly. “ Dinass is here.” 

“ Yes, sir, he came up,” said Vores ; “ but — the young 
gents are down still.” 

“ My son — my son — down that place ! ” cried the 
colonel, while the major uttered a groan. 

“ Yes, sir, and we are just going down to search for 
’em when you came up.” 

“ Horrible ! ” groaned the major. 

“ The place is a dreadful maze ! ” cried the colonel. 
“We got lost, and have had terrible work to find our 
way back. You’re quite exhausted, Jollivet. Stay 
here. Now, my lads, — volunteers ! Who ’ll come 
down?” 

“All on us, sir,” said Vores sturdily; “they’ve got 
to be found.” 

“ Thank you ! ” cried the colonel excitedly ; and the 
look of exhaustion died out of his face. “ But you, 
Dinass, they say you went down with them. Why are 
you here ? ” 

“’Cause they give me the slip, sir. For a lark, I 
suppose.” 

“ When they were in great anxiety about their 
fathers ? ” cried the colonel scornfully. “ Do you dare 
to tell me such a lie as that? Explain yourself at 
once. Quickly, for I have no time to spare.” 

It was the stern officer speaking now, with his eyes 
flashing; and, literally cowed by the colonel’s manner 
and in dead silence, Dinass blundered through his narra- 
tive again, but with the addition of a little invention 


228 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


about the way in which his young companions had 
behaved. 

“ Bah ! ” roared the colonel at last ; “ that will do. I 
see you turned poltroon and shrank back, to leave them 
to go on by themselves. Man, man ! if you had n’t the 
honest British pluck in you to go, why did n’t you stay 
up?” 

“’Cause he funked it at fust, sir,” said Vores, “but 
then being second after Sam Hardock we said it was his 
dooty, and made him go.” 

“ Bah ! He is of no use now. Ha ! You have candles 
ready, I see. How many will the skep take ? ” 

“Six on us, sir,” said Yores. 

“Follow me, then, some of you,” said the colonel. 
“Hardock, you’re fagged out and hal better stay.” 

“ What ! and leave them boys down there lost, sir ? ” 
cried Hardock sharply. “ Not me.” 

“ Then head the second party. I ’ll go on with five.” 

“ Right you are, sir,” said Hardlock. “ Down with 
you, then, and we ’ll soon be after you. Will some one 
give me a tin o’ water ? ” 

Two men started to supply his wants, as the colonel 
and his party stepped into the skep to stand closely 
packed — too closely for Grip to find footing; and as 
the great bucket descended, the dog threw up his muzzle 
and uttered a dismal howl. 

“ Quickly as you can,” shouted the colonel, as the skep 
went down ; but the engineer shook his head. 

“ Nay,” he said, to the remaining men present ; “ none 
o’ that, my lads ; slow and steady ’s my motter for this 
job. One reg’lar rate and no other.” 

In due time the other skep came to the surface, and 


REVERSAL OF POSITION. 


229 


Hardock, with a lump of bread in his hand and a fresh 
supply of candles and matches, stepped in, to be followed 
by five more ready to dare anything in the search for the 
two lads ; but once more poor Grip was left behind howl- 
ing dismally, while Tom Dinass nursed his leg and glared 
at him with an evil eye. 


230 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 

DOWN IN THE DEPTHS. 

“You lead with the lantern, Hardock,” said the 
colonel, as he and his companions stepped out of the 
second skep and had to wade knee-deep for a few yards 
from the bottom of the shaft, the rock lying low beneath 
the high cavernous entrance to the mine, at one side of 
which a tiny stream of clear water was trickling. There 
the bottom began to rise at the same rate as the roof 
grew lower; and soon they were, if not on dry land, 
walking over a floor of damp, slimy rock. 

“Keep straight on, sir?” said the captain. 

“ Yes, right on. They would not have entered the side 
gallery, or we should have met them as we came out.” 

The side gallery, a turning off to the left, was reached, 
and but for the fact that the colonel’s party had strayed 
into it by accident it would have been passed unseen, 
as it was by the boys and Dinass, for the entrance was 
so like the rock on either side, and it turned off at such 
an acute angle, that it might have been passed a hundred 
times without its existence being known. 

The men were very silent, but they kept on raising 
their lanterns and glancing at the roof and sides as 
they tramped on behind the colonel. 

“ There ’s good stuff here,” whispered Vores to his 
nearest companion. 


DOWN IN THE DEPTHS. 


231 


“Yes, I’ve been noticing,” was the reply. “It’s a 
fine mine, and there ’s ore enough to keep any number of 
us going without travelling far.” 

“ Yes,” said Yores. “ Worked as they used to do it in 
the old days, when they only got out the richest stuff.” 

Just then Hardock stopped, and upon the others 
closing up they found themselves at an opening on the 
right — - one which struck right back, and, like the 
other, almost, invisible to any one passing with a dim 
light. 

“ Shall we give a good shout here, sir ? ” said Hardock. 

“ Yes,” was the reply ; and the men hailed as with one 
voice, sending a volume of sound rolling and echoing 
down the passage of the main road and along its tribu- 
tary. 

Then all stood silent, listening to the echoes which 
died away in the distance, making some of the experi- 
enced miners, accustomed as they were to such under- 
ground journeys, shiver and look strange. 

“Vasty place, mate,” whispered Yores to Hardock, 
after they had all hailed again and listened vainly for a 
reply. 

“Vasty? ” said Hardock. “Ay! The gashly place is 
like a great net, and seems to have no end.” 

“ Forward ! ” said the colonel. “No — stop. We have 
plenty of candles, have we not ? ” 

“Yes, sir, heaps,” was the reply. 

“ Light one, then, and stick it in a crevice of the rock 
here at the corner.” 

While the man was busy executing the order the 
colonel took out his pocket-book, wrote largely on a leaf, 
“ Gone in search of you — wait till we return,” and tore 


282 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


it out to lay it close to the candle, where the light could 
shine on the white scrap of paper. 

Then on they went again, with the experienced miners 
talking to one another in whispers, as, with wondering 
eyes, they took note of the value of the traces they kept 
on seeing in the rugged walls of the main gallery they 
traversed, — tokens hardly heeded by the two boys in 
their anxiety to gain tidings of their fathers. 

• “ It ’s going to be a grand place, my son,” whispered 
V ores ; “ and only to think of it — for such a mine to have 
laid untouched ever since the time of our great-great- 
gaffers, — ■ great, great, great, great, ever so many great 
gaffers, — and nobody thinking it worth trying.” 

“ Ay, but there must have been some reason,” said the 
other. 

“ Bah ! Old women’s tales about goblin sprites and 
things, that live underground. We never saw anything 
uglier than ourselves though, did we, all the years 
we’ve worked in mines?” 

“Nay, I never did,” said the man who walked beside 
Vores ; “ but still there ’s no knowing what may be, my 
lad, and it seems better to hold one’s tongue when one ’s 
going along in the dark in just such a place as strange 
things might be living in.” 

Hardock stopped where another branch went off at a 
sharp angle, his experienced eyes, accustomed to mines 
and dense darkness, making them plain directly ; and 
here another shout was sent volleying down between the 
wet gleaming walls, to echo and vibrate in a way which 
sounded woful? but when they shouted again the echoes 
died away into whispers, and then rose again more wildly, 
but only to die finally into silence. 


DOWN IN THE DEPTHS. 


233 


Without waiting for an order Hardock lit and fixed 
another candle against the glittering wall of the mine- 
passage, the colonel wrote on a slip of paper and this 
too was placed where it must be seen ; but the colonel 
hesitated as if about to alter the wording. 

“No,” he said, “I dare not tell them to make for the 
sump : they might lose their way. You feel sure that 
you can bring us back by here, Hardock ? ” 

The man was silent for a few moments, and then he 
spoke in a husky voice : 

“ No, sir,” he said ; “ I can’t say I do. I think I can, 
but I thought so this morning. The place is all a puzzle 
of confusion, and it’s so big. Next time we come down 
I ’ll have a pail of paint and a brush, and paint arrows 
pointing to the foot of the shaft at every turn. But 
I ’ll try my best.” 

“Ay, we ’ll all try,” said Harry Vores. 

“ Forward ! ” said the colonel abruptly ; and once more 
they went on till all at once, after leaving candle after 
candle burning, they reached a part where the main lode 
seemed to have suddenly broken up into half a dozen, 
each running in different directions and spreading 
widely, the two outer going off at very obtuse angles. 

Here they paused, unconscious of the fact that they 
had passed the spot, only a couple of hundred yards 
back, where the boys had made their heroic resolve to 
go on. 

“ Let me see,” said the colonel, speaking excitedly ; 
“ it was the third passage from the left that we took this 
morning.” 

Hardock raised his lantern and stared vacantly in his 
employer’s face. 


234 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“No, sir, no,” lie cried breathlessly ; “ the third com- 
ing from the right.” 

“ No, no, you are wrong. The third from the left. I 
counted them this morning. Six of these branches. 
Why, Hardock, there are seven of them now.” 

“ Yes, sir, seven, and that one running from the right- 
hand one makes eight. 1 did not see those two this 
morning by our one lantern. There are — yes — eight.” 

“ But the one we took ? My head is growing hope- 
lessly confused.” 

He gazed piteously at Hardock, who seemed to be in 
a like hopeless plight, suffering as they both were from 
exhaustion. 

“I — I ’m not sure, sir, now. W e went in and out of 
so many galleries, all ending just the same, that I ’m 
afraid I ’ve lost count.” 

“ Oh, Hardock ! Hardock ! ” groaned the colonel ; 
“this is horrible. We must not break down, man. Try 
and think ; oh, try and think ! Remember that those two 
boys are lost, and they are wandering helplessly in search 
of us. They will go on and on into the farther recesses 
of this awful place, and lie down at last to die — giving 
their lives for ours. There, there, 1 am babbling like 
some idiot ! Forward, my men ! There is no time to lose. 
We must find them.” 

“Yes, sir, we must find them,” cried Hardock. 
“ Which passage shall we take ? ” 

“ Stop a moment,” said the colonel, in a voice which 
seemed to have suddenly grown feeble ; and he signed to 
the mining captain to light a candle and place it where 
they stood, while he tremblingly wrote on another leaf 
of his pocket-book : 


DOWN IN THE DEPTHS . 


235 


“ Make for the pit-shaft.” 

He tore out the leaf, and the men noticed how his 
hand trembled as he stood waiting for it to be taken by 
Hardock, who had sunk on his knees, and was holding 
the candle sidewise so that a little of the grease might 
drip into a crack where he meant to stick the candle 
close to the side. 

Hardock groaned as he rose and took the paper, stag- 
gering as he stooped again to place it by the candle. 
But he recovered his steadiness again directly, and looked 
to the colonel for orders. 

“ Which branch, sir ? ” he said. 

“ The largest,” said the colonel, in a hollow voice ; 
“it is the most likely, because it goes nearly straight. 
Forward, then ! ” 

They obeyed in silence, and for another couple of 
hours they went on, finding the gallery they had taken 
branch and branch again and again; but though they 
sent out shout after shout, there was no reply but those 
given by the echoes, and they went on again, still 
leaving burning candles at each division of the way. 

Then all at once, as the colonel was writing his 
directions on the pocket-book leaf, Yores saw the pencil 
drop from his hand. The book followed, and he reeled 
and would have fallen had not the miner caught him 
and lowered him gently to the rocky floor. 

“ I knew it, I knew it,” groaned Hardock. “ He 
was dead beat when we got back, for we ’ve had an 
awful day. It’s only been his spirit which kept him 
up. And now I ’m dead beat too, for I had to almost 
carry the major when we were nearly back. It ’s like 
killing him to rouse him to go on again. Harry Yores, 


236 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


you ’re a man as can think and help when one ’s in 
trouble. There ’s miles and miles of this place, and the 
more we go on the more tangled up it gets. Which 
way are we going now, east, west, north, or south ? Of 
course nobody knows.” 

“What’s that?” cried Vores, for a low, deep murmur 
came upon their ears, and was repeated time after time. 
“ 1 know : water falling a long way off. Then that ’s 
how it was so much had to be pumped out.” 

“Yes,” said Hardock ; “that’s water, sure enough. 
I thought I heard it this morning. But look here : what 
shall we do — carry the colonel forward, or go back ? ” 

There was no reply, but the murmur as of water fall- 
ing heavily at a great distance came once more to their 
earn. 


THE POSITION DARKENS. 


237 


CHAPTER XXIX. 

THE POSITION DARKENS. 

“ Is n’t a flood coming to sweep us away, is it ? ” said 
Vores, in a low voice full of the awe he felt. 

“Nay, that’s no flood,” said Hardock. “There’ll be 
no flood here that I can’t master with my pumping- 
gear. Now look here, all of you : I want to try and find 
those boys, but we can’t carry the guv’nor farther in. 
What do you all say?” 

The men gathered round him, a weird-looking com- 
pany, with their lanterns turned to Yores as their 
spokesman, and the man took off his hat and wiped his 
streaming brow. 

“ And I want to find those two poor lads,” he said ; 
“ but I wapt to go back, for its turrerble work searching 
a place that you don’t know, and where you seem to 
lose your way. It ’s just madness to go on carrying the 
guv’nor with us ; and the captain here is dead beat, so 
it ’s mere madness to let him go on.” 

“ Then what must we do ? ” said Hardock, who looked 
quite exhausted. 

“ ’Vide into two parties,” said Vores. “ One, headed 
by Sam Hardock, ’ll take the guv’nor back to grass; 
t’ other party, all volunteers, ’ll choose a leader and go on 
searching till a fresh gang comes down and brings some 
grub for the volunteers. That ’s all I can say. If 


238 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


some un ’ll make a better plan, I ’d be glad to hear it 
and follow it out.” 

There was a dead silence, during which every man 
thought of the frank lads who had won the hearts of 
those who knew them; but no one spoke. 

“Well, lads,” said Hardock at last, “ has any one any- 
thing to say? As for me, I don’t feel like sneaking out 
of it. I think I ’ll volunteer for leading the search-party, 
if any one volunteers.” 

“ Oh, some on us ’ll volunteer,” said one of the men. 
“ I don’t feel like going home to my supper and bed, 
to can’t eat and to can’t sleep for thinking of those 
two merry lads, as I ’ve often gone out to fish with, 
and shared their dinner with ’em. Not me — I’ll vol- 
unteer.” 

“Same here, my lads,” said Yores. “I’m with you. 
That ’s two of us. Any one else say the word ? ” 

“Ay! — ay! — ay!” Quite a chorus of ays broke 
out as the miners volunteered to a man. 

“Well done!” cried Yores; “that’s hearty. I feel 
just as if I ’d had a good meal and was fresh as a daisy. 
But we can’t all stay. Sam Hardock, how many do you 
want to help carry the guv’nor back?” 

“ Three twos,” said Hardock, “ for I ’m no use yet. I 
can only just carry myself.” 

“ That ’s seven, then ; so pick your men, and we ’ll stay 
— five of us — and find the lads somehow.” 

“ I say that Harry Yores leads us,” said the man who 
had first volunteered. 

“Hear, hear ! ” was chorused, and a few minutes only 
elapsed before Hardock had chosen his party and turned 
and raised the colonel to go back. 


THE POSITION DARKENS. 


239 


44 What ’s limpet shells and sand doing down here ? ” 
said Yores, as he held a lantern to light the men. 

“Forsils,” said Hardock, glancing at a couple Yores 
had picked up. 

“Nay, they ain’t stony shells,” said Yores ; 44 I know: 
they used to eat ’em, and they ’re some the old chaps as 
did the mining brought down for dinners.” 

44 Ready ? ” said Hardock. 

“ Ay, ay,” cried the men, who had made what children 
call a dandy-chair with their hands, and supported the 
colonel, whose arms were placed about their necks. 

44 Then, as he says, and I wish .1 could hear him say 
it now, — 4 Forward ! ’” 

The men started and Hardock turned to Y ores : 

44 Seems like turning Tom Dinassy, my lad,” he said 
bitterly. 44 1 don’t feel as if I could go.” 

44 Do you want to get up a row?” said Yores sourly. 
44 Be off and look after the guv’nor. Don’t stop, putting 
us chaps out of heart and making us think you jealous 
of me doing your work.” 

Hardock held out his hand to his fellow-workman : 

44 Thank ye, my lad,” he said. 44 Go on, then, and take 
care. I ’ve kept just enough candle to last us to the 
shaft-foot. Don’t go farther than you can find your way 
back.” 

44 We ’re going to find those two boys,” said Yores,, 
through his set teeth. 44 By and by, if we don’t come 
back you send a fresh shift, and let ’em bring us some 
prog and some blankets. 1 ’m hoping you ’ll find them 
up at grass when you get back. Now off you go, and 
so do we.” 

They parted without another word, and the next 


240 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


minute the dim light of the lanterns borne by the men 
was dying away in two directions, the party bearing 
the colonel progressing slowly till he recovered himself 
somewhat and ordered them to stop. 

“Nay, sir, there’s no need,” said Hardock; “we keep 
on taking you in three shifts, and can go on for long 
enough.” 

44 Thank you, my lads, thank you,” said the colonel, 
“ but I am better now. Anxiety and fatigue were too 
much for me. I ’m better now and can walk.” 

44 Nay, sir, you can better ride.” 

44 If I am overdone again I will ask you to carry me,” 
said the colonel. “ I am not a wounded man, my lads ; 
only at the heart,” he added bitterly to himself. “ How 
am I to face his mother, if he is not found ? ” 

They set him down and he walked on slowly for a few 
hundred yards, but after that one of the men saw him 
display a disposition to rest, and in his rough way offered 
his arm. 

44 May help you a bit, sir, like a walking-stick,” said 
the man, with a smile. 

44 Thank you, my lad. God bless you for your kind- 
ness,” said the colonel as he took the man’s arm, and 
they went on again for some time, till far ahead there 
was the faint gleam of a light reflected from the wet, 
watery granite rock, and the colonel uttered a cry: 

44 Ah ! Quicker, quick ! My poor boys ! At last ! 
At last ! ” 

He hastened his steps, and the men exchanged glances 
and then looked at Hardock, expecting him to speak. 

But Hardock felt choking and remained silent as they 
went on till, turning round an angle in the zigzagging 


THE POSITION DARKENS. 


241 


gallery, they came suddenly upon a nearly burned-out 
candle stuck against the wall, and beneath it, plainly to 
he seen, one of the leaves of the colonel’s pocket-book. 

It was some moments before the old officer spoke, for 
the finding of the light confused him. 

“Why, what’s this?” he said, in an agitated voice. 
“You have taken some turning by mistake, and worked 
round to the way we came. Then very likely my poor 
boys have done the same, and found their way out by 
now.” 

No one spoke. 

“ Don’t you think so, my lads ? ” 

Still no one answered, and now he began to grasp the 
truth. 

“ Why, what’s this ? ” he cried angrily. “ Surely, you 
men have not dared — you have not been such cowards 
as to turn back ? Halt ! ” 

The last yord was uttered in so commanding a tone 
of voice that the little party stopped as one man. 

“ Hardock ! Explain yourself, sir. Did you dare to 
change the arrangements during my temporary indis- 
position ? ” 

“ Beg your pardon, sir ; you were completely beat out, 
and we felt that we must carry you back to the shaft.” 

“ Such insolence ! ” roared the colonel. “ Right about 
face ! Forward once more ! But,” he added bitterly, 
“ if any man among you is too cowardly to help me, he 
can go back.” 

He turned and strode off into the darkness, and Har- 
dock followed just in time to catch him as he reeled and 
caught at the side of the gallery to save himself from 
falling. 


242 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


* 

44 Yon can’t do it, sir, you can’t do it,” said Hardock, 
with his voice full of the rough sympathy he felt. 44 We 
did it all for the best. We ’d have carried you farther 
in, but it seemed like so much madness, and so we de- 
cided. Part’s gone on with Harry Yores, and we’re 
going to send in another shift as soon as we get back.” 

The colonel looked at him despairingly, for he knew 
that the man’s words were true, and that it would be 
impossible to go on. 

44 We did what we thought was right, sir,” continued 
Hardock ; 44 and it ’s quite likely that the young gents 
have got safely back by now.” 

The colonel made no reply, but suffered himself to 
be led back to where the men were waiting, and then, 
growing more helpless minute by minute, he was con- 
ducted, after a long and toilsome task which included 
several pauses to rest, to the foot of the shaft. 

The water had increased till it was nearly knee-deep 
when they waded to where the skep was waiting, and 
the colonel w&s half fainting from exhaustion ; but the 
feeling that the boys might be safely back revived him 
somewhat, and he strove hard to maintain his composure 
as they all stepped in, the signal was given, and they 
began to rise ; but he was hanging heavily upon the 
arm of one of the men before the mouth of the shaft was 
reached, and he looked dazed and confused, feeling as if 
in a dream, when the engineer cried : 

“Well, found ’em?” 

44 Then they ’ve not come back ? ” ✓ 

The colonel heard no more, but just as his senses left 
him he was conscious of *a trembling hand being thrust 
into his and a voice saying : 


THE POSITION DARKENS. 


243 


“ Our poor lads, Pendarve ! Can nothing more be 
done ? ” 

Something more could be done, for the work-people 
about the place — carpenters, smiths, and miners — volun- 
teered freely enough; and in the course of the night 
two more gangs went down, and Yores and his party 
gave them such advice as they could after returning 
utterly wearied out; but it became more and more 
evident that the lads had either fallen down some 
smaller shaft, as yet undiscovered, in one of the side 
ways of the mine, or wandered right away, how far none 
could tell until the place had been thoroughly explored. 

By this time the anxious watchers in^ the shed over 
the mouth of the mine had been recruited by the com- 
ing of one who said little, her pale, drawn face telling 
its own tale of her sufferings as she sat there ready to 
start at every sound, and spring up excitedly whenever 
the signal was given for the skep to be raised. 

But there was no news, and she always shrank back 
again to seat herself in a corner of the shed as if 
desirous of being alone, and to avoid listening to the 
words of comfort others were eager to utter. 

“Not a word, Jollivet, not a word,” whispered the 
colonel once during the horrors of that long-drawn 
night. “ She has not spoken, but her eyes are so full of 
reproach, and they seem to keep on asking me why I 
could not be content without plunging into all the 
excitement and trouble connected with this mine.” 

The major groaned. 

“Don’t you look at me like that,” said the colonel 
appealingly. “ I am doing everything I can ; and as 
soon as I can stir I will head a party to go right on as 
far as the mine extends.” 


244 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


CHAPTER XXX. 

IN DARKNESS. 

Gwyn Pend ar ye opened his eyes, feeling sore and in 
grievous pain. A sharp point seemed to be running into 
his side, and he was hurting his neck, and one shoulder 
felt as if it had become set so that, though it ached 
terribly, he could not move. 

He did not* know how it was or why it was, for all 
was confused and strange, and he lay trying to puzzle 
out why it was that Caer Point light should be revolving 
so quickly, now flashing up brightly and now sinking 
again till all was nearly dark. 

It seemed very strange, for he had often looked out to 
sea on dark nights, over to where the great lighthouse 
stood up on the Jagger Rock ten miles away, seeing the 
light increase till it seemed like a comet whose long, 
well-defined tail slowly swept round over the sea till it 
was hidden by the back of the lantern, and he waited 
till it flashed out again ; but it had never given him 
pains in the body before, neither could he recall that it 
smelt so nasty, just like burnt mutton-chops. 

That was the strange part of it, for he remembered 
when the fishermen sailed over there with them, so that 
they could have some conger-fishing off the rocks, the 
lightkeepers took them round, and, among other things, 
showed them the storeroom in the lower part of the 
building, where the great drums of crystal oil, for trim- 


IN DARKNESS. 


245 


ming the lamps, were lifted into the tank. Yes, of 
course they burned paraffin oil in the great optical lan- 
tern ; but, though it was tremendously hot there when 
the light was in full play, there was scarcely any odor, 
while now it smelt horribly of burnt mutton-fat. 

Gwyn could not make it out. There in the far dis- 
tance was the light, now flashing out brightly, now dying 
out into darkness, smelling horribly, making him very 
hot, and giving him' all those aching pains from which 
he was suffering. 

There was another problem, too, that he had to solve : 
why was it that a lighthouse lantern ten miles away, 
on a dark night, should make him so hot that the per- 
spiration stood out all over his face and the collar of his 
shirt was soaked ? 

Why was it — why was it ? He puzzled and puzzled 
in a muddled way, but seemed to get no nearer the solu- 
tion. There was the light coming and going and smell- 
ing badly, and making him so hot that he felt as if he 
could not breathe. 

Then the solution came like a flash which lit up his 
mind just as all was black darkness ; and in spite of the 
agony he felt as soon as he moved, he started up into a 
sitting posture and then made for the light. 

He knew now that it was not the lighthouse lan- 
tern on Jagger Rock ten miles away, but the common 
lantern he had brought down into the mine some time 
before, and set about ten feet off where it could not 
be kicked over when they turned over in their sleep — 
the sleep into which he had plunged at once, as if into a 
stupor. 

It was from this stupor that he had now awakened, to 


246 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


turn his attention from the sultry heat of the mine ; he 
was chilled to the heart with horror, for the fresh candle 
he had lit had burned down into the socket, and was 
giving the final flickers before going out, and they had 
not a match with which to light another. 

Stretching out his trembling hands, he felt in the 
black darkness for the lantern, touched it after two or 
three ineffectual trials, and snatched it back feeling his 
fingers burnt just as the light gave a final flare, the jar of 
his touch upon the lantern being sufficient to quench 
the tiny flame. 

In the horror of the moment Gwyn uttered a loud 
cry, and the result was a quick movement close at 
hand, followed by a voice saying : 

“ Yes, father, all right. I ’ll get up and get it. Is 
the pain so bad ? ” 

Gwyn tried to speak, but no words came. 

“ Did you call, father ? ” 

There was perfect silence in the stifling place, and Joe 
Jollivet spoke again, drowsily now: 

“ Must have dreamt it. But — halloo ! Oh, my back ! 
What ’s the matter with it ? And — here ! Halloo ! 
What does it all mean ? I must have been walking in 
my sleep.” 

“ Oh, Joe, Joe ! ” cried his companion. 

“ Y doll ! Y ou there ? I say, what — what — where are 
we?” 

“ Don’t you understand ? Where we lay down when 
we could get no farther.” 

There was the sound of some one drawing a long gasp- 
ing breath, and then silence again till Joe spoke, in a 
piteous voice: 


IN DARKNESS. 


247 


“ I was dreaming that father was taken ill in the night, 
and he called me. Oh, Ydoll, old chap, my head feels 
so strange. Then we haven’t found them? I don’t 
feel as if I could recollect anything. It ’s all black-like. 
We came down to find them, didn’t we?” 

“ Yes,” said Gwyn, “ and walked till you stumbled 
and fell.” 

“I did? Yes, I recollect now. I was regularly 
beaten. We came such a long way, for hours and hours. 
Then we ’ve both, been asleep ? ” 

“ I suppose so.” 

“ But why is it so dark ? ” 

“ The candle I set up burned out.” 

“Well, light another. You have some more.” 

“ What am I to light one with ? ” groaned Gwyn. 

“ Oh ! I ’d forgotten,” cried Joe piteously. “ You ’ve 
no matches.” 

“No, I’ve no matches.” 

“ But you had some, I know, — you had a box ; feel 
in your pockets again.” 

There was a faint rustling sound as, in obedience to 
his companion’s imperative words, Gwyn felt in each 
pocket vainly and then uttered a sigh like a groan. 

“ No, no, no ! ” he cried ; “ there is a hole in my pocket 
and the box must have gone through.” 

“Oh!” cried Joe angrily, “how could I be such a 
fool as to trust you to carry them ! ” 

“You mean, how could you be such a fool as to come 
without a box yourself,” said Gwyn bitterly. 

“Yes, that’s it, I suppose. Here, I know: we must 
strike a light from the rock with the backs of our 
knives.” 


248 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“What for?” said Gwyn bitterly. “Where are the 
tinder and matches ? ” 

Joe uttered a sigh, and they both relapsed into silence 
once more. 

“ What are we to do ? ” said Joe at last. “ It is horri- 
ble, horrible, to be in this black darkness. Say some- 
thing, Ydoll. We can’t lie down here and die.” 

“We can’t go on in the black darkness,” said Gwyn 
bitterly. 

“We must feel our way.” 

“ And suppose we come to some hole and go down ? ” 

Joe drew his breath sharply through his teeth as he 
winced at the horrible idea. 

“ Better lie down again and go to sleep,” said Gwyn 
despondently. “We can do no more.” 

“ Lie down till they come with lights and find us ! ” 

“Yes,” said Gwyn, who gathered courage from the 
words of hope. “ It ’s of no use to give up. Father must 
have found his way out by this time. Sam Hardock 
knows so much about mines, he is sure not to be lost 
for long.” 

“ But if they don’t find us ? I’m so faint and hungry 
now I don’t know what to do.” 

“ Yes. I suppose what I feel is being hungry,” sighed 
Gwyn, “ but we must n’t think about it. I say, how far 
do you think we wandered about yesterday ? ” 

“ Miles and miles and miles,” said Joe dismally ; “ and 
for nothing at all but to lose ourselves. But I say, Ydoll, 
it was n’t yesterday. We could n’t have slept long.” 

“ I felt as if I slept all night.” 

“ But we could n’t, because we only slept as long as 
our candle burned.” 


IN DARKNESS. 


249 


“ Of course not. How stupid ! But I ’m so done up 
that my head does n’t seem as if it would go. Let ’s lie 
down and go to sleep till they find us.” 

“ And perhaps that will be never. Some one will find 
our bones, perhaps.” 

“ Ha, ha ! ” cried Gwyn, bursting into a mocking laugh. 
“We’re a nice pair of miserable cowards. I did think 
you had more pluck in you, Joe.” 

“ That ’s what I thought about you, Ydoll.” 

“ So did I,” said Gwyn frankly ; “ and all the time I ’m 
as great a coward as you are. I say, though, does n’t it 
show a fellow up when he gets into trouble ? Can’t 
show me up in the dark, though, can it?” 

“ Oh, I don’t know. I only know I feel horribly mis- 
erable. Let ’s go to sleep and forget it all.” 

“ Shan’t,” said Gwyn, making an effort over himself. 
“ I won’t be such a jolly miserable coward, and you shan’t 
either. We ’ll do something.” 

“ Ah, it ’s all very well to talk, but what can we do, 
cooey ? ” 

“ No good, or I ’d cooey loud enough to bring some of 
the stones down. I say, though, is n’t it wonderful how 
solid it all is — no stones falling from the roof?” 

“ How could they fall when there are none to fall ? 
Isn’t it all cut through the solid rock?” 

“ Humph ! Yes, I suppose so ; but we have found 
scarcely anything to fall over.” 

“No,” said Joe sarcastically; “it’s a lovely place. I 
wish the beastly old mine had been burnt before we had 
anything to do with it.” 

“ Oh, I say, what a plucked one you are, Joey. Break- 
ing down over a bit of trouble. I feel ever so much 
better now, for I ’m sure the dad has found his way out.” 


250 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


“ I was thinking about my father.” 

“Well, so was I. My father would n’t go out without 
yours. They’re too good old chums to forsake one 
another, and you see if before long they don’t both come 
with a lot of men carrying baskets — cold roast chicken, 
slices of ham, bread and butter, and a kettle and wood to 
light a fire and make some tea.” 

“I say, don’t, don’t, don’t,” cried Joe. “I was bad 
enough before: now you’re making me feel savagely 
hungry. But, I say, Ydoll, do you really think they’ve 
got out ? ” 

“ I ’m sure of it.” 

“ And not lost themselves so that they won’t be found 
till it ’s too late ? ” 

“Get out! Too late l They’ll be all right, and so 
shall we ; we ’re only lost for a bit in the dark, and we 
don’t mind. I don’t now. I feel as plucky as a game- 
cock. And, I say, Joe ! ” 

“Well?” 

“ Tom Dinass ? ” 

“ What about him ? — a beast ! ” 

u What are we going to do to him whe«n we see the 
sneak again ? I say, it won’t be the first time we ’ve 
had a set-to with him.” 

“ Oh, I should like to ” — 

“Ah!” 

Gwyn uttered a wild cry, as if something from out of 
the darkness had seized him ; and as the cry went echo- 
ing down the long zigzag passage in which they were, 
Joe uttered a gasp, and, in spite of his desire to stand 
by his friend, dashed off from the unknown danger by 
which they were beset. 


GWYN GIVES IT UP. 


251 


CHAPTER XXXI. 

GWYN GIVES IT UP. 

There came a dull sound out of the darkness, as if 
Joe had struck against the wall of the mine ; but he 
gave vent to no exclamation, and Gwyn cried to him to 
stop : 

“ Where are you ? Don’t run off like that, Joe ! Joe, 
where are you ? ” 

“ Here,” said the lad hoarsely. “ What is it? What 
has hurt you ? ” 

“Hurt me? I thought something had hurt you. 
What made you rush off?” 

“ You shouted. What was it ? ” 

“ Enough to make me shout. Where are you ? ” 

Guided by their voices, the lads approached till they 
were close together. 

“ Now, what was it? ” panted Joe, who was still trem- 
bling from the nervous alarm and shock. 

“ Give me your hand.” 

Joe obeyed shrinkingly, and felt it passed along the 
skirt of his companion’s jacket. 

“Feel it?” 

“ Yes, I feel something inside the lining. What is it 
— a box?” 

“Yes, the matches. They got through the hole into 
the lining. Wait till I get them out.” 


252 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


This was only achieved with the help of a knife. 

“ Ah ! ” ejaculated the boy as he at last dragged out 
the box, struck a match, and held it over his head to see 
where the candle-box had been laid ; and then by quick 
manipulation he managed to get a wick well alight be- 
fore the tiny deal splint was extinct. 

In his excitement and delight, Joe clapped his hands 
as the candle was forced into the empty socket and the 
lantern door closed. 

“ Oh, what a beautiful thing light is ! ” he cried. 

“ And what a horrible thing darkness at a time like 
this ! There, one feels better and quite rested ! Let ’s 
go on, and we may come to them at any time now.” 

Joe said nothing, for fear of damping his companion’s 
spirits ; but he knew that they were not rested, that 
they would soon be forced to stop, and as he gazed right 
away before them and tried to pierce the gloom beyond 
the circle of light shed by the candle, the hopeless nature 
of their quest forced itself upon him more and more. 

Gwyn’s spirits seemed to be now unnaturally high, 
and as they went on following the narrowed tunnels 
and passing along such branches as seemed to be the 
most likely from their size, he held up the lantern to 
point out that the ore seemed to have been cut out for 
ten or twenty feet above their heads in a slanting direc- 
tion. In another place he paused to look into a narrow 
passage that seemed to have been only just commenced, 
for there was glittering ore at the end, and the marks of 
picks or hammers looking as if they had been lately 
made. 

“ There ’s nothing to mind, Joe,” he said ; “ only I do 
want to get back to the shaft now.” 


GWYN GIVES IT UP. 


253 


“ Then why not turn ? ” 

“ We did, ever so long ago. Don’t you remember 
seeing that beginning of a passage as we came along ? ” 

“ I remember stopping to look into two niches like 
this one, but they were ever so far back, and we are still 
going on into the depths of the mine.” 

“ No, no, we took a turn off to the left soon after I lit 
the fresh candle, and we must be getting back towards 
the entrance.” 

Joe said nothing, but he felt sure that he was right; 
and they went on again till at the end of another lane 
Gwyn stopped short. 

“ I say, I felt sure we were going back. Do you 
really believe that we are going farther in ? ” 

“ I felt sure that we were a little while ago, but I am 
not so sure now, for one gets confused.” 

“ Yes, confused,” said Gwyn sadly. “ We seem to 
have been constantly following turnings leading in all 
directions, and they’re all alike, and go on and on. 
Arn’t you getting tired?” 

“Horribly; but we mustn’t think of that. Let’s 
notice what we see, so as to have something to tell them 
when we get home.” 

“ Well, that ’s soon done. The walls are nearly all 
alike, and the passages run in veins, one of which the 
people who used to work here used to follow until they 
had got out all the ore, and then they opened others.” 

“ But the ore seems to be richer in some places than 
in others.” 

“ Yes, and the walls seem wetter in some places than 
in others, and sometimes one crushes shells beneath 
one’s feet, and there ’s quantities of sand.” 


254 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ But how far should you think we are now from the 
entrance ? ” 

“ I don’t know. Miles and miles.” 

“ Oh, that ’s exaggeration, for we Ve come along so 
slowly, and being tired makes you feel that it is a 
long way.” 

They went on and on at last, as if in a dream, follow- 
ing the winding and zigzagging passages and speaking 
more and more seldom, till at last they found themselves, 
for certain, in a place which they had not seen before, 
for here the mine suddenly opened out into a wide, irreg- 
ular hall, supported here and there by rugged pillars 
left by the miners ; and here confusion grew doubly con- 
fused, for, as they went slowly around over the rugged, 
well-worn floor and in and out among the pillars, they 
could dimly see that passages and shafts went from all 
sides. The roof sparkled as the light was held up, and 
they could see that in places the marks of the miners’ 
picks and hammers still remained. 

Roughly speaking, the place was about a hundred feet 
across, and the floor in the centre was piled up into a 
hillock, as if the ore that had been brought from the 
passages around had been thrown in a heap ; for that it 
was ore, and apparently rich in quality, they were now 
learned enough in metallurgy to know. 

Gwyn had a fancy that, this being a central position, 
if the party they sought were still in the mine they 
would be' somewhere here, and he made Joe start by 
hailing loudly, but raised so strange a volley of echoes 
that he refrained from repeating his cry, preferring to 
wait and listen for the answer which did not come. 


GWYN GIVES IT UP. 


255 


“ It ’s of no use,” he said ; “ let ’s turn back now. 
They must have got out by now.” 

“ Yes, I hope so ; but what an awfully big place it is ! 
I say, though, where was it we came in — by that pas- 
sage, was n’t it ? ” 

Gwyn looked in the direction pointed out, but felt 
certain that it was not correct. At the same time, though, 
he fully realized that he was quite at fault, for at least 
a dozen of the low tunnels opened upon this rugged 
pillared hall so much alike, and they had wandered about 
so much since they entered and began to thread their way 
in and out among the pillars, that he stared blankly at 
Joe in his weariness and muttered despairingly: 

“ I give it up.” 


256 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


CHAPTER XXXII. 

A NOVEL NIGHTMARE. 

From that hour they both “gave it up” — in other 
words, resigned themselves in a hopeless, weary way to 
their fate, and went on as it were automatically, resting, 
tramping on again over patches of sand and clean hard 
places where the rock had been worn smooth. The 
pangs of hunger attacked them more and more, and then 
came maddening thirst which they assuaged by drinking 
from one of the clear pools lying in depressions, the 
water tasting sweet and pure. From time to time the 
candles were renewed in the lantern, and the rate at 
which they burned was marked with feverish earnest- 
ness ; and at last, in their dread of a serious calamity, it 
was arranged that one should watch while the other 
slept. In this way they would be sure of not being 
passed by a body of searchers who might come by, 
and hearing no sound pass in ignorance of their po- 
sition. 

Gwyn kept the first watch, Joe having completely 
broken down and begun to reel from side to side of the 
passage they were struggling along in a hopeless way ; 
and when Gwyn caught his arm to save him from falling, 
he turned and smiled at him feebly. 

“ Legs won’t go any longer,” he said gently ; and sink- 
ing upon his knees, he lay dowii on the hare rock, placed 


A NOVEL NIGHTMARE. 


257 


his hand under his face as he uttered a low sigh, and 
Gwyn said quietly : 

44 That ’s right : have a nap and then we ’ll go on 
again.” 

There was no reply, and Gwyn bent over him and held 
the lantern to his face. 

44 How soon any one goes to sleep ! ” he said softly. 
44 Seems to he all in a moment.” 

The boy stood looking down at his companion for a 
few moments, and then turned with a light to inspect 
their position. 

They were in a curve of one of the galleries formed by 
the extraction of one of the veins of tin ore, and there 
was little to see but the ruddy-tinted walls, sparkling 
roof, and dusty floor. A faint dripping noise showed 
him where water was falling from the roof, and in the 
floor was worn a basin of some inches in depth, from 
which he refreshed himself, and then felt better as he 
walked on for a hundred yards, in a feeble, weary way, 
to find that which gave him a little hope ; for the gallery 
suddenly began to run upward and came to an end. 

44 But it may be only the end of this part,” muttered 
Gwyn; 44 there are others which go on, I suppose, but 
one can’t get any farther here, and that ’s something.” 

He walked back to where Joe lay sleeping heavily, 
after convincing himself of the reason why the turning 
had come to an end where it did, for the vein had run 
inward, gradually growing thinner, till at some thirty 
feet up, as far as he could make out by his dim light, the 
men had ceased working, probably from the supply not 
being worth their trouble. 

Joe was muttering in his sleep when Gwyn reached 


258 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


his side, but for a time his words were unintelligible. 
Then quite plainly he said : 

“Be good for you, father. The mine will give you 
something to do, and then you won’t have time to think 
so much of your old wounds.” 

“ And if he has got out safely and they never find us, 
this will be like a new wound for the poor old major to 
think about,” mused Gwyn. “ How horrible it is, and 
how helpless we seem ! It ’s always the same : gallery 
after gallery, just alike, and that ’s why it ’s so puzzling. 
I wonder whether any of the old miners were ever lost 
here and starved to death.” 

The thought was so horribly suggestive that the per- 
spiration came out in great drops on the boy’s face, and 
he glanced quickly to right and left, even holding up his 
lantern, fancying for the moment that he might catch 
sight of some dried-up traces of the poor unfortunates 
who had struggled on for days as they had, and then 
sunk down to rise no more. 

“How horrible!” he muttered; “and how can Joe 
lie there sleeping, when perhaps our fate may be like 
theirs ! ” 

He had unconsciously started another train of thought, 
which set him calculating and took his attention from 
the imaginary horrors which had troubled him. 

“Wandered about for days and days,” he mused. 
“ It seems like it, but that ’s impossible. It can’t be 
much more than one, or we couldn’t have kept on. We 
should have been starved to death. We couldn’t have 
lived on water.” 

He wiped his wet brow, and it seemed to him that the 
gallery they were in was not so stifling and hot, unless 


A NOVEL NIGHTMARE. 


259 


it was that he had grown weaker. Still one thing was 
certain : he could breathe more freely. 

“ Getting used to it,” he thought ; and putting down 
the lantern he seated himself with his back close to the 
wall. 

Joe slept heavily, and the lad looked at him envi- 
ously. 

“ I could n’t sleep so peaceably as that,” he said half 
aloud. “ How can a fellow sleep when he does n’t know 
but what his father may be dying close by from starva- 
tion and weakness ? It seems too bad.” 

Gwyn opened the lantern and found that the candle 
was half burned down, and for a moment he thought of 
setting up another in its place, for fear he should go to 
sleep and it should burn out. 

“ Be such a pity,” he said ; “ we don’t want light while 
we ’re asleep, but to wake up here in this horrible place 
is enough to drive anybody mad.” 

Then he closed the lantern again. 

“I shan’t go to sleep,” he muttered. “In too much 
trouble,” and he began thinking, in a sad, dreary way, 
of his mother, seated at home, waiting for news of his 
father and of him. 

“ It ’ll nearly kill her,” he said. “ But she ’ll like it 
for me to have come here in search of poor dad. It 
would have been so cowardly if I had n’t come, and she 
would have felt ashamed of me. Yes, she ’ll like my 
dying like this.” 

He paused, for his thoughts made him wonder. 

“We can’t be going to die,” he said to himself, “or 
we should n’t be taking it all so easily, and be so quiet 
and calm. If we felt that we really were going to die. 


260 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


we should be half mad with horror, and run shrieking 
about till we dropped in a fit. No,” he said softly. 
“ It is n’t like that. People on board ship when they 
know it ’s going to sink, all behave quite calmly and 
patiently. There was , that ship that was being burned 
with the soldiers on board. They all stood up before 
their officers, waiting for the end, and went down at 
last like men. But I don’t feel despairing and as if we 
were going to die.” 

Then he began to think of his peaceful home-life, and 
of the days at school till about a year ago, when he had 
come home to study military matters with his father and 
Major Jollivet, prior to being sent to one of the military 
colleges in about a year’s time. 

44 And now this mining has altered everything,” mused 
Gwyn, 44 and ” — 

He started violently, sprang up and looked about him, 
for his name had been uttered loudly close to his ear. 

But all was still now, and a curious, creepy sensation 
ran through him and made him shiver with apprehension 
— a strange, superstitious kind of apprehension, as if 
something invisible were close to him. 

44 What a cowardly donkey ! ” he muttered, for his 
name was uttered again, and plainly enough it came 
from Joe. 

44 Talking in his sleep, and I was ready to fancy it 
was something 4 no canny.’ Why, I must have been 
dropping off to sleep, too, and it startled me into wake- 
fulness. This won’t do. Sentries must not sleep at 
their posts.” 

He began to do what the soldiers call 4 sentry go.’ But 
in a few minutes he grew so weary and hot that he was 


A NOVEL NIGHTMARE. 


261 


glad to stop by his sleeping companion, and stand look- 
ing down at him lying so peacefully there with his head 
upon his hand. 

“ Just as if he were in a feather bed, and with a soft 
pillow under his cheek. Wish I could lie down and 
ha Ye a nap for half an hour. I will, and then he can 
have another.” 

Gwyn bent down to waken his companion, who just 
then burst out with a merry laugh. 

“Oh, I say, father, you shouldn’t,” he said. “Just 
as if I didn’t take care. It is n’t ” — 

“ Is n’t what, Joe ? ” said Gwyn softly. 

“ The wrong bottle. You ’re always thinking I give 
you the wrong medicine, and saying it tastes different. 
Ha ! ” 

He ended with a long, deep sigh of content, and lay 
perfectly silent. 

“I can’t wake him,” muttered Gwyn; and with a 
weary groan he seated himself once more, supporting his 
back against the side of the gallery, for he was too weak 
and tired to stand, and in an instant he was out in the 
bright sunshine, with the water making the boat he was 
in dance and the sail flap as he glided along out of the 
cave into the open sea. 

Then with a violent start he was awake again, drawing 
himself up and fighting hard against terrible odds, for 
Nature said that he was completely exhausted and must 
rest. And as he set his teeth and stared hard at the 
faintly glittering wall opposite, where the great vein of 
milk-white quartz was spangled with grains of tin, his 
head bowed down and dropped forward till his chin 
touched his chest. 


262 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


Again he sprang up to prop his head back against the 
rock, where the ore had been hacked away so that it 
curved over and seemed to join Nature in her efforts to 
overmaster him and force him to sleep, bending down his 
head and sending it in the old direction, so that his 
brow seemed heavier than lead and he bent it lower and 
lower, while once more he was out on the glittering 
waters of the sea, the boat bounding rapidly along and 
all trouble at an end. For the darkness of the cavern- 
ous mine was gone, with all its weary horrors : there was 
nothing to mind, nothing to do but sink lower and 
lower in the boat, and rest. 

Hard — angular — stony? The granite chipped by 
hammer and pick felt like the softest down as Gwyn 
swayed slowly over to his left, his shoulders rubbing 
against the wall and his half-braced muscles involuntarily 
acting in obedience to his will to keep him upright, 
so that he did not fall, but gently sank down till he was 
lying prone close to the lantern, which shed its faint 
yellowish light, and cast dim shadows which, there in 
that gloomy spot, looked like a couple of graves newly 
banked up to mark the spots where the two lads had 
lain down to die or be found and live, whichever fate 
ordained it to be. 

Joe must have slept for what was guessed to be a 
couple of hours ; but they had passed, and he still slept 
on with his rest growing more and more sweet and pro- 
found, while for Gwyn there was nothing but profound 
silence and vacancy. He did not dream, only plunged 
deeper and deeper into the stupor till those six hours 
had passed away, and then the dream came. — A ter- 
ribly wild dream of being somewhere in great danger — 


A NOVEL NIGHTMARE. 


263 


a place from which there was no escape from a danger- 
ous wolf-like beast, which had followed him for hours 
and was slowly hunting him down. 

Every moment the dream grew more real, and the 
fierce beast came closer and closer in spite of his efforts 
to escape — mad, frantic efforts, while every limb was 
like lead, and held him back so that he might be the 
monster’s prey. 

He felt that it was a dream, and that he must soon 
wake and find relief ; but when he did the relief did not 
come, for the horrors of the dream were continued in the 
reality, and his lips parted to utter a wild cry ; but lips, 
tongue, throat, were all parched and dry, and he lay 
there in an agony which seemed maddening. 

There was no question now of where he was, for 
though it was intensely dark he knew well enough, for 
he had awakened into full consciousness with every 
sense unnaturally sharpened and making things clear. 
His limbs were like lead still, but it was not from night- 
mare, for they were numbed and helpless. There was 
the unpleasant odor of the burnt-out candle and the 
sickly smoke hanging about him, as if the light had but 
lately gone out, and he could hear J oe’s stentorian breath- 
ing, as if he too were in trouble ; and simultaneous with 
it all came the knowledge that, after all, the cavernous 
place out of which the water had been drained was in- 
habited by strange beasts, one of which had attacked 
him. 

For the moment he was ready to explain it as a form 
of nightmare, but it was too real. It was the stern 
reality itself, for there was the weight upon his chest, 
but not the heavy inert mass of a hideous dream, hut 


264 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


that of some creature full of palpitating life extended 
upon him. He could feel the motion as it breathed, the 
heavy pulsations of its heart, and, worst horror of all, 
the hot breath from its panting jaws not many inches 
from his brow. 


MAN'S GOOD FRIEND. 


265 


CHAPTER XXXIII. 
man’s good friend. 

Gwyn tried hard to cry aloud to his companion for 
help, to make an effort for life ; but for what seemed to 
him to be a long space of time, he could not stir. At 
last, though, when he could bear the horror no longer, 
and just as the creature moved as if gathering its legs 
beneath it, like some cat about to spring, the boy made 
a sudden heave and threw the beast from his chest, at 
the same time struggling to rise and make for where he 
felt that Joe was lying ; but, with a strange, hollow cry, 
the animal sprang at him with such force that he was 
driven backwards, while the creature regained its posi- 
tion upon his chest, and Gwyn lay back half paralyzed. 
But not from fear. Astonishment and delight had that 
effect, and, weak and prostrated as he was, for some 
moments he could not speak. 

At last one word escaped from his lips, and in an in- 
stant — throb , throb , throb , throb — there was a heavy 
beating on his ribs, a joyous whining sound greeted his 
ears, and a cold nose and wet tongue were playing about 
his face. 

44 Oh, Grip ! Grip ! Grip ! ” he sobbed out at last, half 
hysterical with excitement ; and seizing the dog by the 
neck he held him fast, while Grip burst now into a frantic 
paroxysm of barking. 


266 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“You good old dog, then, you have found us,” cried 
Gwyn, as he sat up now and held on tightly to the dog’s 
collar for fear he should be left again. “ Why, there must 
he some one with him ! Here, Grip, Grip, old chap, your 
master. Where is he, then ? ” 

There was another frantic hurst of barking, and Joe’s 
voice was heard out of the darkness : 

u What ’s that ? What does it mean ? Hi ! Ydoll, are 
you there ? ” 

“Yes — yes ! Here ’s Grip ! And — and — they must 
be — oh, Joe, Joe, I can’t” — 

What it was that Gwyn Pendarve could not do was 
never heard, for he pressed his lips together and clenched 
his teeth to keep back all sound, for he had no longer 
any control of himself ; and in those anguished moments 
he felt, as he afterwards declared to himself, that he was 
acting like a girl. 

Joe was nearly as bad, but it was in the darkness, and 
there was no one to witness their emotion, as he, too, kept 
silence, fearing to hear even his own voice, so that Grip 
had the whole of the conversation to himself — a repeti- 
tion that at another time would have been monotonous, 
but which now sounded musical in the extreme. 

At last Gwyn recovered his equanimity to some 
extent, and taking out the matches struck one, but the 
moisture of his fingers prevented it from igniting, and 
he had to try two more before he could get anything but 
soft phosphorescent streaks on the box ; and as the damp 
matches were thrown down, Grip sniffed at them and 
whined loudly. 

Then one flashed out brilliantly, lighting up the 
darkness, was watched excitedly and began to blaze up 


MAN'S GOOD FRIEND. 


2(37 


and transfer its illuminating powers to the one candle 
the boys had left, and which was directly after safely 
sheltered by the glass of the lantern. 

At this point the joy of the dog was unbounded, and 
was shown in leaps, bounds, and frantic barking accom- 
panied by rushes and sham worryings of his master’s legs, 
and when driven off he favored Joe in the same way. 

“ Only to think of it ! ” cried Joe ; “ that dog following 
us and running us down in the dark ! How could he 
have done it ? I never heard that dogs could see in the 
dark like cats.” 

“ They can’t,” said Gwyn, going down on his knees to 
give the dog a hug. “ A jolly old chap ! They see with 
their noses. Don’t you, old Grip ? ” 

“ Whuf ! ” cried the dog ; and he made a frantic effort 
to lick his master’s face. 

“It’s wonderful ! ” cried Joe excitedly. 

“Yes, makes a fellow wish he had a nose like a dog. 
Why, Jolly, we could have found our way out then.” 

“Don’t see it,” said Joe, who was in a peculiarly ex- 
cited state which made him ready to laugh or cry at the 
slightest provocation. 

“Don’t see it? Of course you don’t. Couldn’t we 
have smelt our way out by our own track, same as he 
did ? But bother all that. Why, J oily, if I could only 
feel sure that the dads were safe out, I should n’t care a 
bit.” 

“No, I should n’t either. Oh, I say, is n’t it a relief ? ” 

“ Yes, and so I feel all right. They ’re out, I ’m sure 
of it.” 

“ How do you know ? ” 

“ By Grip being here.” 


268 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


44 That does n’t prove it.” 

44 Yes, it does. I know ! Father said, 4 1 ’ll send Grip 
down ; he ’ll find them.’ ” 

“ Well, it does sound likely ; but, I say, Ydoll, is n’t it 
queer ? ” 

“What, being here?” 

44 No ; while I was so miserable and feeling as I did, I was 
only faint. Now I feel so hungry I could eat anything.” 

44 Same here,” said Gwyn ; “ but it ’s all right. They ’re 
out. Father sent Grip, did n’t he, Grip ?'” 

The dog barked loudly and leaped up at him. 

“There, hear him? He understands,” cried Gwyn; 
but Joe shook his head. 

“ I don’t know,” he said. 44 The dog found us right 
enough, but that does n’t prove that he ’ll find his way 
back.” 

44 He ’d better,” said Gwyn, with mock earnestness ; 
44 if he doesn’t, we’ll eat him. Do you hear, sir?” 

The dog barked again. 

44 It ’s all right,” said Gwyn merrily. 44 Now, then, 
pack up, and let’s go home — do you hear, Grip?” 

The dog threw up his head and barked loudly. 

44 Ready, Joe ? ” 

44 Ready, of course.” 

44 Come on, then. Now, Grip, old fellow, lead the way. 
Go home ! ” 

The dog barked again, and trotted in the opposite 
direction to that which they had expected, making for 
the partly driven gallery where the roof ran up showing 
liow the lode of tin had ascended, and when he reached 
the blank end beginning to bark loudly. 

44 Come back, stupid ! ” cried Gwyn ; 44 we found that 


MAN’S GOOD FRIEND. 


269 


out ourselves. That ’s the end of the mine. All ri<rht 
Now lead the way home.” 

The dog harked again loudly ; and it was not until 
Gwyn followed to the end and seized his collar that he 
gave up. 

“Now, then, off with you, but don’t go too fast. 
Forward ! Quick march ! ” 

The lad had straddled across the dog, holding him 
between his knees, with head pointed as he believed in 
the direction of the shaft; and at the last sound he 
unloosed him from the grip of his knees, and the dog 
started steadily off, and they followed; but in a few 
minutes had to take to running, for after looking back 
several times to see if he was followed, Grip increased 
his pace and directly after disappeared in the darkness 
beyond the glow shed by the lantern. 

“You’ve done it now,” cried Joe. “Why didn’t 
you make your handkerchief fast to his collar. He ’s 
gone home.” 

“ Think so ? ” said Gwyn blankly. 

“ Yes, that ’s certain enough ; and we ’re just as badly 
off as ever.” 

“No,” said Gwyn, in a tone full of confidence, “Grip 
found us, and he ’ll come back again, for certain.” 

“ But we shall have to stop where we are ; perhaps 
for another day or two.” 

“ Oh, no, he will not be long,” said Gwyn ; but there 
was less confidence in his tones, and he stopped short 
and began to call and whistle, with the sounds echoing 
loudly along the tunnel-like place, but for some moments 
all was silent, and Joe gave vent to a groan. 

“ Oh, why did you let him go, Ydoll ? It was 
madness.” 


270 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


“Well,” said the lad bitterly, “you were as bad as I. 
You never said a word about holding him.” 

“No, I never thought of it,” said Joe, with a sigh. 
“ But how horrid, after thinking we were all right.” 

“ Yes, it is disappointing,” said Gwyn gloomily ; “ but 
he ’ll soon come back when he finds that we are not fol- 
lowing him ; and even if he went right back to them 
they ’d send him in again.” 

“I don’t believe they did send him in,” said Joe 
despairingly. • 

“ They must. He could n’t have climbed down the 
ladders or got into the skep of his own accord, and if he 
had they would n’t have let him down. Oh, yes, they 
would ; and they sent him, I ’m sure.” 

“No, I’m afraid not,” said Joe piteously; “they 
did n’t send him. ” 

“ How do you know ? ” 

“ Because if they had sent him, they would have done 
what people always do under such circumstances — 
written a note and tied it to the dog’s collar ; he had no 
note tied to his collar, I ’m sure.” 

“No, I didn’t see or feel any,” said Gwyn thought- 
fully. 

“ No ; we should have been sure to see it if he had 
one. So, for certain, the dog came of his own will, and 
I don’t think it ’s likely he ’ll come again. He may or 
he may not.” 

Gwyn did not feel as if he could combat this idea, for 
Joe’s notion that a note would have been tied to the 
dog’s collar — a note with a few encouraging words — 
seemed very probable ; sp he remained silent, listening 
intently for the faintest sound. 


MAN'S GOOD FRIEND. 


271 


The silence was more terrible than ever, and, saving 
the musical dash of water from time to time and an 
occasional rustle as of a few grains of earth or sand 
trickling down from the walls, all was still. 

“Hear him coming back?” said Gwyn at last, very 
dismally. 

“No, but there is something I keep hearing. Can’t 
you?” 

“I? No,” said Gwyn quickly. “ What can you hear 
— footsteps ? ” 

“ Oh, no ; not that. It ’s a humming, rolling kind of 
noise, very, very faint ; and I can’t always hear it. I ’m 
not sure it is anything but a kind of singing in my ears. 
There, I can hear it now. Can you ? ” 

Gwyn listened intently. 

“ No. Perhaps it is only fancy. Listen again. Oh, 
that dog must come back ! ” 

Joe sat down with the lantern beside him. 

“ Oh, don’t give up like that ! ” cried Gwyn. “ Let ’s 
make a fresh start and try and find our way out.” 

“ It ’s impossible ; we can’t without help.” 

“Don’t I always tell you that a chap oughtn’t to 
wait to be helped, but try to help himself ? ” 

“ Yes, you often preach,” said Joe dismally. 

“ Yes, and try too. Why, I — ah ! hear that? ” cried 
Gwyn excitedly. 

“ No,” said Joe, after a pause. 

“ Don’t be so stupid ! You can. Listen ! ” 

They held their breath, and plainly now came the 
barking of a dog. 

“ There ! ” cried Gwyn. “ Here, here, here ! ” and he 
whistled before listening again, when there was the pat- 


272 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


tering of the dog’s nails on the rocky floor, and almost 
directly after Grip bounded up to them. 

“ Ah, we must n’t have any more of that, old fellow,” 
cried Gwyn, seizing the dog’s collar and patting him. 
“ Get on, you old rascal ! Can’t you see we ’ye only got 
two legs apiece to your four ? ” 

The dog strained to be off again, barking excitedly, 
but Gwyn held on while their neckerchiefs were tied 
together and then fastened to the dog’s collar. 

“Now, then, forward once more ! Come on, Joe ; you 
must carry the lantern and walk by his head. Steady, 
stupid! We can’t run. Walk, will you? Now, then, 
forward for home ! ” 

The dog barked and went off panting, with his red 
tongue out and glistening in the light, while the boys’ 
spirits steadily rose as their confidence of the dog’s 
knowledge of the way back began to increase. 


TOO EAGER BY HALF. 


273 


CHAPTER XXXIV. 

TOO EAGER BY HALF. 

“ Think the candle will last, Jolly ? ” said Gwyn, after 
they had progressed for some time and the lantern door 
was opened. 

“ Plenty — yes,” said Joe. 

“Wish I knew there was enough and to spare,” said 
Gwyn. 

“Why?” 

“ Because I ’d have a bite off the end. I ’m so faint 
and hungry it ’s quite horrible.” 

“ Horrid ! ” exclaimed Joe. 

“Not it. Nothing’s horrid when you’re starv- 
ing. But I don’t suppose it ’s very far as the crow 
flies.” 

“ Crows don’t fly in tin-mines,” said Joe, who was in 
better spirits now. 

“ Well, then, in a straight line.” 

“ I don’t believe there ’s a straight line in the place.” 

“ I say, don’t chop logic, J oily, and don’t — I say, 
look here, Grip, steady ! Don’t pull a fellow’s arm off,” 
interpolated Gwyn, for the dog tugged heavily at the 
handkerchiefs. “ Look here, Joe, I was going to say 
talk gently to me, for I ’m so hungry that I feel quite 
vicious and as if I could bite. Ah, you want to get away 
do you? Steady, sir! We want to get home as badly 


274 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


as you do, for — huzza ! we ’re homeward bound — bound, 
huzza ! we ’re homeward bound,” sang the boy wildly. 

44 Don’t you halloo till you ’re out of the wood.” 

44 1 was n’t hallooing,” cried Gwyn, with hysterical 
merriment. 44 1 was singing, only you ’ye no ear for 
music.” 

44 Not for such music as that. Hark at the echoes! 
They sound just like howls.” 

44 There are n’t any owls down here ! But don’t talk 
about getting out of the wood when we ’re like moles 
underground.” 

44 Who ’s chopping logic now ? ” 

44 Oh, anybody. Steady, Grip, slow march ! ” 

44 Does he pull so hard ? ” 

44 Horribly ; but I don’t mind. It shows he knows 
his way.” 

Grip barked, and dragged at the improvised leash as 
if determined to hasten their pace. 

44 It’s just as the greyhounds do over the coursing. 
But pull away, old chap. I say, though, is n’t it hot 
now ? ” 

44 Yes, I’m bathed in perspiration. We must be very 
deep down.” 

44 Oh, no, it ’s just about on a level ; sometimes we go 
down, and sometimes up.” 

Splash, splash , splash , and then the dog’s progress 
seemed to be checked, as the boys followed into a pool 
of water which filled all the tunnel to the sides. 

44 Stop! ” cried Joe, as he waded to his knees. 

44 Why? What .for?” 

44 Because we ’re going wrong.” 

44 So I thought, but Grip ought to know.” 


TOO EAGER BY HALF. 


275 


“ He can’t, because we never came along here.” 

“No, but that proves, he’s right, for we never came 
along here, and we always lost ourselves.” 

“ But it ’s getting deeper and there ’s no knowing how 
deep it will be.” 

“Never mind, we must wade.” 

Joe went on, and the water was soon up to their 
waists, while the dog swam on. 

“ I ’m sure Grip ’s going wrong,” said Joe excitedly, 
as the light of the lantern gleamed from the surface of 
what was now a narrow canal. 

“ Get on ! Grip knows.” 

“ He can’t ; it ’s impossible that he could have scented 
us over water.” 

“ Yes, so it is,” said Gwyn anxiously ; and he stopped, 
naturally checking the dog, who began to splash and to 
howl and bark angrily. 

“ W ell, we must go on now ; perhaps it ’s the way he 
came.” 

“ Could n’t be, because he was not wet.” 

“ Well, I am right over my waist,” said Gwyn ; “shall 
we go on ? We can swim if it gets deeper.” 

“ Well, let ’s try it a little farther and holding the 
light well up, they waded on, with the water growing 
deeper till it reached their chests and soon after their 
chins. 

“ Now, then, go back, or swim ? ” asked Gwyn. 

“ Oh, go on ! Grip must know. I suppose the floor 
has gone down a good deal here.” 

“ Can you keep the lantern out of the water? If you 
can’t we must not go on, because it would be too hor- 
rible to swim here in the dark, and I don’t know whether 


276 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


I could keep on with only one hand swimming and hold- 
ing Grip with the other.” 9 

44 He ’d tow you along,” said Joe. 

“ Halt ! Hold the light higher,” shouted Gwyn, and 
his words reverberated strangely. 

Grrate , grate , scratch, came a strange sound. 

44 Do you hear what I say ? ” cried Gwyn excitedly. 

44 1 can’t, I can’t, there is n’t room.” 

44 Then give it to me,” said Gwyn fiercely from where 
he stood, a few yards now in advance of his companion. 
44 How am I to see what I ’m doing, and I know you ’ll 
have it in the water directly.” 

44 Don’t I tell you I can’t? ” cried Joe wildly. 44 Can’t 
you see there is n’t room ? I’m holding it close up to 
the roof now ; ” and at a glance Gwyn saw that the roof 
was so low where they were that the gallery was nearly 
filled by the water. 

44 Oh, hang the dog ! ” cried Gwyn desperately. 
44 Quiet, sir ! Come back ! ” for with the water steadily 
deepening it seemed madness to let the animal lure them 
on into what seemed to be certain death. 

44 Yes, yes, come back,” panted Joe; 44 it’s horrible. 
Here, Grip ! Grip ! Grip ! Here, here, here ! ” 

But the dog only whined and swam on, and then 
began to beat the water wildly as if he was drowning, for 
in his excitement and dread Gwyn had now begun to 
haul upon the leash, dragging the dog partly under water 
in his efforts to get hold of his collar. 

It was no easy task, for as the dog rose again he was 
evidently frightened by his immersion beneath the sur- 
face, and he rose barking, whining, and struggling to 
escape from his master’s grasp. 


TOO EAGER BY HALF. 


277 


u What is it? What are you doing ?” cried Joe, as 
he held the light close to the roof. 

“ Doing? Can’t you see the dog ’s half mad. Quiet, 
Grip ! What is it ? Hold still, will you ? ” 

This seemed to be the last thing the poor beast was 
disposed to do, for the tie, the drag under water, and 
the seizure by the collar were all suggestive to its be- 
nighted intellect of death by drowning; and just as 
Gwyn, chin-deep in the water now, and hardly able from 
his natural buoyancy to keep his footing, was backing 
towards the light, holding by the collar with both hands, 
the dog gathered himself together with his hind legs rest- 
ing against his master’s breast, and made a tremendous 
bound as if for life. 

Gwyn had had some experience of the muscular power 
in a collie dog, but never till that moment did he fully 
realize what strength a desperate animal does possess. 
For that bound sent the dog forward and him backward, 
and completely off his balance ; his head went down, his 
legs rose, from his buoyancy in the water ; and as he 
made a desperate effort to regain his feet there came a 
sharp drag at the handkerchief he had twisted round his 
hand, and he was dragged under in turn, and towed 
along for some moments before he could get his head 
above the surface of the black water again. Then, obey- 
ing his natural instinct, he struck out and began to swim, 
feeling himself drawn steadily along by the dog farther 
and farther from the light which gleamed from the water, 
and into the black darkness and the unknown depths. 


278 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


CHAPTER XXXV. 

THE HELP AT LAST. 

Joe uttered a groan, and began to wade after his com- 
panion, scraping the lantern against the roof from time 
to time in his agitation. He would have called to Gwyn 
to come back, but he could not find the words. He felt, 
though, that he must follow to help him, and began to 
wonder whether he could keep the light above water 
with one hand as he swam, and he prepared to try, for 
he felt that he must strike out as soon as the water 
touched his chin. 

Then he paused, for from out of the darkness and 
loud above the splashing came Gwyn’s angry words to 
the dog : 

44 You wretch ! Come back ! ” he roared. 44 Wait till 
I get out of this, and I ’ll give you such a licking as 
will make your coat rougher than ever. Come back, 
will you ? ” 

Grip made no sign of hearing, but swam on with all 
his might, and as he swam with one hand Gwyn kept 
on lowering his feet to try for the bottom ; but the dog’s 
swimming was so energetic that the boy lost his balance 
again and again, and had a lesson in a man’s helpless- 
ness in the water. 

At last, and just when a feeling of dread was begin- 
ning to freeze his nerves, Gwyn, on lowering his legs, 


THE HELP AT LAST. 


279 


touched the rock, and giving an angry drag at the hand- 
kerchief to check the dog, he regained his feet, and 
found the water little above his waist. 

“It’s all right,” he panted. “Come on, Joe; the 
floor dips down there, and you ’re nearly in the deepest 
part, I think. I don’t suppose you ’ll have to swim. I 
shouldn’t if this wretch of a dog had not pulled me 
over.” 

Joe waded on very slowly and cautiously, finding his 
companion’s words quite correct, and that, after just 
keeping his mouth above water, the level sank during 
the next few paces to his chin, then to his chest, and 
soon after to his waist, after which he easily reached his 
dripping companion. 

“Nice mess, is n’t it?” said Gwyn. “I wish old Sam 
Hardock was in it, pretending that the mine was pumped 
out. Will you be quiet, Grip ? There, get on. It ’s 
all right, if we ’re going in the proper direction ; ” and 
then, after wading on about a couple of hundred yards 
with the water still falling, Grip was able to walk, and, 
uttering a joyous bark, he splashed along for a little way, 
and then stopped short and gave himself a regular 
canine, water-distributing shake, which made him seem 
as if about to throw off his skin. 

“ Look at that, now,” cried Gwyn. “ Only just wet 
above one’s shoes.” 

Another fifty yards and they were upon the dry, rocky 
floor, which they liberally drenched with the water trick- 
ling from their clothes as they were hurried on by the 
dog, who strained more than ever at his leash. 

“It must be a good sign for him to tug like this,” 
said Gwyn. 


280 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“Yes; he seems to know the way. It’s of no use to 
try and stop him, for we know that we were all wrong, 
and perhaps he ’s right.” 

“Yes, look at him,” said Gwyn; “there can’t be a 
doubt about it. See how he tugs to get along.” 

“Yes, and now I think of it,” said Joe eagerly, “we 
have n’t come through that hall-like place with the pil- 
lars all about.” 

“ Have n’t come to it yet, perhaps.” 

Joe shook his head and gave his companion a meaning 
look. 

“ It is n’t that,” he said ; “ we ’ve come quite a differ- 
ent way.” 

“Well, it doesn’t matter,” said Gwyn, “so long as 
we get to the foot of the shaft ; and I shall be very glad, 
for, wet, tired, and hungry, it ’s very horrible being 
here.” 

They went on, led by the dog like two blind beggars 
Gwyn said, as he tried to look cheerfully upon their 
position, when he received another mental check, for J oe 
cried suddenly: “Stop a moment, for there ’s something 
wrong with this candle,” and a shudder worse than that 
which had attacked the boy when the water first rose to 
his breast ran through his nerves. 

Joe opened the door of the lantern with a jerk, and 
the candle, which had fallen over on one side and 
was smoking the glass, dropped out on to the rocky 
floor; but Gwyn stooped quickly and saved it from 
becoming extinct, while the dog uttered an impatient 
bark and dragged at the leash again. 

And so it was always as they proceeded — that the boys’ 
strength, which had flickered up at the hope of rescue 


THE HELP AT LAST . 


281 


brought by the dog, rapidly burned down now like the 
candle, which quickly approached its end, while the dog 
seemed to be untiring, and toiled and tugged away as if 
trying to draw his master onward. They spoke less and 
less, and dragged their feet, and grew more helpless, till 
at the end of a couple of hours Joe suddenly said : 

“ It ’s of no use, Ydoll. I can go no farther, and he ’s 
only taking us more into the mine. There is n’t a bit 
of it we ’ve passed before.” 

“Never mind; we must trust him now,” said Gwyn 
sadly. “ We can’t go back.” 

“ No, but we ought n’t to have trusted him at all. 
We ought to have felt that we knew better than a 
dog.” 

“Stop! What are you going to do?” cried Gwyn 
angrily. 

“ This,” said Joe ; and he let himself sink down on 
the. rocky floor, and laid his head on his hand. 

“ No, no, get up. You shan’t turn coward like this. 
Get up, I say.” 

“I — can’t,” said Joe. “I’m dead beat. You go 
on, and if Grip takes you out, try and find me again. If 
you can’t, tell father I did my best.” 

“ I won’t, I shan’t,” cried Gwyn furiously. “ Think 
I ’m going to leave you ? ” 

“ Yes. Save yourself.” 

“ You get up,” cried Gwyn; and stooping down he 
caught one of his companion’s arms, dragged at it with 
a heavy jerk, and found that he had miscalculated his 
strength ; for he sank upon his knees, felt as if the lan- 
tern was gliding round him, and then sank down close 
by where Joe lay, while just then the dog gave a furious 


282 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


tug at the leash, freed himself, and dashed off into the 
darkness, barking apparently with delight. 

“It’s of no good, Joe; I’m as bad as you,” said 
Gwyn slowly. “ I can’t get up again.” 

“ Never mind, Ydoll; we have done our duty, old 
chap, as the dads said we ought to as soldiers’ sons. 
We have, haven’t we?”. 

“No, not quite,” cried Gwyn. “Let’s have one 
more try. I will, and you shall.” 

He made an effort to rise, but sank back and nearly 
fainted; then recovered himself to feel that Joe had got 
hold of his hand, and he uttered a piteous sigh. 

“Light’s going out, Jolly, and if they don’t find us 
soon our lights ’ll go out too. I would n’t care so much if 
it was n’t for the mater, because it will nearly kill her,” 
he continued drearily. “ She ’s ever so fond of me, 
though I ’ve always been doing things to upset her. 
Father won’t mind so much, because he ’ll say I died 
like a man doing my duty.” 

“ How will they know that ? ” mused Joe, whose eyes 
were half closed. “ Let ’s write it down on paper.” 

Gwyn was silent for a few moments as he lay think- 
ing, but at last he spoke. 

“No,” he said; “that would be like what father calls 
blowing your own trumpet. He used to say to me that 
if he had gone about praising himself and telling people 
that he was a great soldier and had done all kinds of 
brave deeds, he would have been made a general before 
now ; but he would n’t. 4 If they can’t find out I ’ve 
done my duty and served my queen as I should, let it 
be,’ he said. And that’s what we ought to do when 
we ’ve fought well. If they don’t find out that we Ve 


THE HELP AT LAST . 


283 


done what we should, it does n’t much matter — let it go. 
I ’m tired out and faint as you are, and — so ’s the candle, 
Joe. There, it has gone out.” 

Joe uttered a low, long, weary sigh, as, after dancing up 
and down two or three times, the light suddenly went out. 

“ Frightened? ” said Gwyn gently, as the black dark- 
ness closed them in. 

“ No, only sleepy,” was the reply. “ Good night.” 

“ Good night,” said Gwyn softly ; and the next minute 
they were sleeping calmly, with their breath coming and 
going gently, and the dripping of water from somewhere 
close at hand sounding like the beating of the pendulum 
of some great clock. 

Once more the loud barking of a dog, long after the 
boys had lain down to rest ; and Grip was dragging first 
at Gwyn, then at Joe, seizing their jackets in his teeth 
and tugging and shaking at them, but with no greater 
effect than to make Gwyn utter a weary sigh. 

The dog barked again and tugged at him, but, finding 
his efforts of no avail, he stood with his paws resting on 
his master’s breast, threw up his head, and uttered a dis- 
mal, long-drawn howl which went echoing along the pas- 
sages, and a faint shout was heard from far away. 

The dog sprang from where he stood, ran a few yards, 
and stood barking furiously before running back to 
where Gwyn lay, when he seized and shook him again, 
and howled, ending by giving three or four licks at his 
face, then threw up his head once more and sent 
forth another prolonged, dismal howl. 

This was answered by a faintly heard whistle, and the 
dog barked loudly over and over again till a voice nearer 
now called his name. 


284 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


All this was repeated till a gleam was seen on the 
wall, and now the dog grew frantic in his harking, run- 
ning to and fro, and finally, as voices were faintly heard 
and the gleaming of lights grew plainer, he crouched 
down with his head resting on Gwyn’s breast, panting 
heavily as if tired out. 

“ Here, Grip, Grip, Grip ! Where are you ? ” rang out 
in the colonel’s voice ; and the dog answered with a 
single bark repeated at intervals till the lights grew 
plainer, shadows appeared on the walls, there was the 
trampling of feet, and a voice said : 

“ Hold up, sir. He must be close at hand. The dog 
keeps in one place, so he must have found them. Here, 
here, here ! ” 

There was a long whistle, but the dog did not leave 
his place, only gave a sharp bark, and the next minute 
lights were being held over the major and Colonel Pen- 
darve as they knelt beside their sons, trying all they 
knew to bring them back to their senses. 

Their efforts were not without effect, for after a time 
Gwyn opened his eyes, stared blankly at the light, and 
said feebly: 

“ Don’t ! Let me go to sleep.” 

Shortly after the two boys were being carefully carried 
in a semi-conscious state by the willing hands of the 
search party, through the bewildering mazes of the old 
mine, with Grip trotting on in front as if he were in 
command ; and in this way the foot of the shaft was 
reached and they were safely taken to grass. 


GRIP'S ANTIPATHY. 


285 


CHAPTER XXXVI. 
grip’s antipathy. 

“ I really think you ought to stay in, Gwyn,” said 
Mrs. Pendarve anxiously. 

“ Oh, I ’ll stay in if yon like, mother,” said the boy, 
patting the hand that was laid upon his arm and looking 
affectionately in his mother’s eyes ; “ but don’t you think 
it would be all nonsense ? ” 

“ Yes,” said the colonel firmly, as he looked up from 
the work he was reading. “ He ’s quite well, my dear.” 

“ No, no, my love, he is too pale to be well.” 

“Fancy, my dear; but perhaps he may be. Describe 
your symptoms, Gwyn, my boy.” 

“Haven’t got any to describe, father,” said Gwyn 
merrily. 

“Well, then, to satisfy your mother, how do you 
feel?” 

“Ashamed of myself, father, for having had the 
doctor.” 

“Exactly. He’s quite well, my dear. It was bad 
for him, of course ; but a strong, healthy boy does not take 
long to recover from a long walk and some enforced 
abstinence. There, you can go, Gwyn, and” — 

“ Yes, father,” said the boy, for the colonel paused. 

“There’s young Jollivet coming over the hill, so 
Major Jollivet and I would feel greatly obliged if you 


286 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


two lads did not get into another scrape for some time 
to come.” 

“ Oh, I say ! ” cried Gwyn ; “ I do call that too bad. 
Isn’t it, mother? Father lets the major take him down 
and get lost in the mine ” — 

“Nothing of the kind, sir. We found our way back: 
you did not.” 

“And then when we go down,” continued Gwyn, with- 
• out heeding his father’s words, “ to try and find them, 
father calls it getting into a scrape.” 

“ Ah, well, never mind what I call it,” said the colonel, 
smiling; “but be careful, please. We don’t want any 
more exploring.” 

Gwyn went off, met Joe, and they made for a favorite 
place on the cliff, where they could look down on the sea 
and the sailing gulls, to have a chat about their late ad- 
venture, this being their first meeting since they were 
carried home from the mine. 

“You ’re all right, aren’t you, Ydoll?” said Joe. 

“ Never felt better in my life, only I don’t feel as if I 
could sit still here. Let ’s go to the mine.” 

“To go down? No, thank you; not to-day.” 

“ Who wants to go down ? I mean to have a talk to 
Sam and the men. I want to hear more about it. Oh, I 
say, though, it ’s too bad to have left old Grip chained up. 
Let ’s go and fetch him, and after we ’ve been to the mine 
give him a good run over the down and along the cliff.” 

“ Yes,” said Joe quietly; and Gwyn led the way back 
toward the house by the cave. 

“ That dog ought to have a golden collar,” said Gwyn. 
“No, I tell you what : he shall have one of the first tin 
that is smelted.” 


GRIP'S ANTIPATHY. 


287 


u Too soft. It would bend,” said Joe. 

“ V ery well, then, we ’ll have some copper put with it 
to make it hard and turn it to bronze.” 

“What’s the good? Dogs don’t want ornaments. 
He’d be a deal happier with his old leather strap.” 

“ I don’t care, he shall have one of bronze.” 

He told Grip this when they reached the yard, and 
the dog rushed toward them, standing on his hind legs 
and straining against his collar at the full extent of his 
chain till he was unfastened, and went half mad with 
excitement till they were out of the grounds and on 
their way toward the mine, when he trotted on before 
them straight for the buildings, to hear the panting of 
the engine, and soon came in sight of the smoke. 

The pump was steadily at work again clearing out 
the water, which had begun to gather consequent upon 
the enforced inaction of the past days. 

Sam Hardock caught sight of them before they 
reached the mine, and came to meet them, smiling largely. 

“How are you, gentlemen, how are you?” he cried; 
“ not much the worse, then, for your trip underground ? ” 

“ Oh, no, Sam ; we ’re right enough,” said Gwyn ; 
“ but, I say, I can’t understand about our only being in 
the mine two days. It seemed to me like a week.” 

“ Fortnight,” said Joe, correcting him. 

“Well, fortnight, then.” 

“ Ay, it would,” said Hardock, looking serious now ; 
“ I mind being shut up in one of the Truro mines by a 
fall, and we were only there about thirty hours ; but it 
seemed to me just like thirty days.” 

“But has n’t there been a mistake? We must have 
been there more than forty-eight hours.” 


288 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“No, my lad, that was the time, and quite long 
enough, too ; but I ’m afraid it would have been twice as 
long if it had n’t been for this gashly dog. It was a 
fine idea to send him down to try and find you.” 

“ A splendid idea. Whoso was it ? ” 

“ Oh, never mind about that,” said Hardock, stooping 
down to pat the dog in the most friendly way. “ Some 
one said after we ’d got back with your father, Mr. Gwyn, 
that the dog was more likely to find you than any one ; 
but just then the colonel ordered a fresh search, and 
a party went down, and then another and another, for 
there was no stopping — they hunted for you well. But 
at last him who proposed the dog said he was sure that 
was the way to go to work ; and then at last the colonel 
says : “Well, Hardock,” he says, “ I believe you ’re right. 
Try the dog.” 

“ Then it was you who proposed it ? ” said Gwyn, 
catching the miner’s arm. 

“Me? Was it? Well, perhaps it was,” said Har- 
dock ; “ but lor’ a mussy, I was all in such a flurry over 
the business I don’t half recollect. Sort o’ idee it was 
Harry Yores. Maybe it was.” 

“ No, it was n’t,” said Gwyn ; “ I ’m sure it was you, 
Sam. Now wasn’t it?” 

He caught the man’s hand in his, and there was a dim 
look in his eyes which went straight to the miner’s heart, 
and he said huskily : 

“ Well, s’pose it was, Master Gwyn, would n’t you ha’ 
been ready to jump at anything as a last sort o’ chance 
when there was two lads lost away down in a place like 
that? Why, I ’d ha’ done anything, let alone depending 
on a dog. It warn’t as if I did n’t want to go myself ; 


GHIP 7 S ANTIPATHY. 


289 


I did go till I dropped and could n’t do no more, and 
begun to wish I ’d never said a word about the 
gashly old mine.” 

‘‘Well, don’t go on like that,” cried Gwyn, laughing, 
as he warmly shook the mining captain’s hand, while Joe 
caught hold of the other and shook away. 

“ Here, hi ! Don’t you two go on like that,” cried the 
man ; “ what ’s the good o’ making such a fuss ? It was 
the dog saved your lives, not me, my lads; and do 
leave off, please. You ’re making me feel like a fool.” 

“ No, we ’re not ; we ’re trying to make you feel that 
we ’re grateful for what you did, Sam,” said Gwyn. 

“ Why, of course I know that,” said the man, with his 
voice sounding choky and strange ; “ but don’t you see 
what you ’re doing, both of you ? ” 

“ Yes, shaking hands,” said Joe. 

“ Nay, pumping my arms up and down till you ’ve 
made the .water come. Look here, if — if my eyes arn’t 
quite wet. Ah ! ” 

Hardock gave himself a shake as if to get rid of his 
feeling of weakness, and then indulged in one of his 
broadest smiles. 

“ There,” he said, “ it ’s all over now ; but, my word, 
me and Harry Yores, ay, and every man jack of us, did 
feel bad. For, as I says to Harry, I says, it warn’t as if 
it had been two rough chaps like us reg’lar gashly 
mining lads. It was our trade ; but for you two young 
gents, not yet growed up, to come to such an end was 
more than we could bear. But we did try, lot after lot 
of us. It warn’t for want o’ trying that we did n’t find 
you. Wonderful place, though, arn’t it?” 

“ Horrible,” said Joe. 


290 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Oh, I don’t know, sir ; not horrible,” said the man, in 
a tone that was half reproachful ; 44 it ’s wonderful, I call 
it, and ten times as big as I expected.” 

44 So big and dangerous that it will he no good,” said 
Joe. 

44 What ! ” cried Hardock, laughing. 44 Did you look 
about you when you were down there ? ” 

44 As much as we could for the darkness.” 

44 And so did I, sir,” said the man, with a chuckle. 
44 Of course most when I was wandering about with 
your fathers. No good because it ’s so big? Wait a bit, 
and you ’ll see. Why, I shall begin to make a regular 
map plan of that place below. It will take months and 
months, perhaps, but we shall explore a bit at a time, 
and mark the roads and drifts with arrows, and we shall 
all get more and more used to it.” 

44 One could hardly get used to such a place as a tin- 
mine, Sam,” said Gwyn. 

44 Oh, yes, we could, sir ; and we shall. But I see you 
did n’t make the use of your eyes that I did, or you ’d 
have more to say.” 

44 What do you mean ? ” cried Gwyn. 

44 Did n’t you see how rough all the mining had been ? ” 

“ Well, yes.” 

44 And don’t you see what that means ? ” 

44 No.” 

44 Then I ’ll tell you, both of you : there ’s ore there ? 
enough to make your fathers the richest gentlemen in 
these parts, and there is n’t a company in Cornwall as 
wouldn’t do anything to get it. New-fashioned ma- 
chinery will do what the old miners could n’t manage, 
and we won’t have any more losing our way. There, 


GRIP'S ANTIPATHY. 


291 


I ’m busy, so good-by and good luck to you both. 
Some day, when you grow to be men, you ’ll thank me 
for what I ’ve done, for I ’ve about made you both.” 

“ That means we ’re both going to be very rich some 
day,” said Gwyn ; 44 but it does n’t matter. Come on, 
and let’s give old Grip a jolly good run. Come on, 
old dog ! ” 

Grip did not come, but led off, and they made for the 
edge of the cliff, which ran along on an average three 
hundred feet above where the waves beat at their feet ; 
but they had not gone far before Joe, who had glanced 
back, said quickly: 

44 What ’s Tom Dinass following us for out here?” 

Gwyn too* glanced back. 

44 Not following us,” he said quickly; 44 he’s making 
for the bend of the rock yonder.” 

44 Yes,” said Joe; 44 but that’s where he knows we 
shall have to pass. What does he mean? He must 
have seen us at the mine and followed.” 

44 1 don’t know,” said Gwyn thoughtfully ; and a 
peculiar feeling of uneasiness attacked him. 44 But never 
mind ; let ’s go on, or he ’ll think we ’re afraid of him.” 

44 1 am,” said Joe frankly. 

44 Well, then, if you are you mustn’t show it. Come 
on ! Quiet, Grip ! ” 

For though the man was several hundred yards away, 
Grip had caught sight of him, set all the thick hair about 
his neck, and uttered a low, deep growl. 


292 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


CHAPTER XXXVII. 
gwyn’s error. 

All at once as the boys went along near the cliff 
edge, they found that Dinass had disappeared, and Joe 
expressed himself as being relieved. 

“ Went back beyond that ridge of rocks, I suppose,” 
said Gwyn, “but I certainly thought he wanted to cut 
us off for some reason. Well, it’s a good job he has 
gone.” 

A little later they found that Dinass had not gone, 
for all the while Grip had had an eye on his movements 
and had acted after the manner of a dog. 

For after about five minutes there was a sharp bark- 
ing heard as the boys trudged on. 

“ Why, where ’s Grip ? ” said Gwyn. “ I thought he 
was here.” 

The barking was repeated, and the dog was seen close 
to the edge of the cliff a hundred yards away, barking at 
something below him. 

“What’s he found?” said Joe. 

“ Oh, it ’s only at the gulls just below him. There ’s 
that shelf where it looks as if the granite had slipped 
down a little way. Let ’s see what he is about.” 

The dog kept up his barking, and the boys walked up, 
to find no gull below, but Tom Dinass seated in a nook 
smoking his pipe with a couple of ominous-looking 


gwyn’s error. 


293 


pieces of stone within reach of his hand, both evidently 
intended for Grip’s special benefit, should he attack, 
which he refrained from doing. 

“Mornin’, gentlemen,” said the man. “Wish you’d 
keep that dog chained up when you come to the mine ; 
you see he don’t like me.” 

“ He won’t hurt you if you don’t tease him,” said 
Gwyn. “ Come to heel, Grip.” 

The dog uttered a remonstrant growl, but obeyed, and 
Dinass drew himself back on to the cliff. 

“ Safer down here,” he said. 

“Yes, you are safer there,” said Gwyn. “Good 
morning.” 

“ One minute, sir, please. Don’t go away yet. I want 
just a word with you.” 

“ Yes, what is it ? ” said Gwyn shortly, while Joe 
gazed from the man to the depths below, troubled the 
while by some confused notion that the man meant 
mischief. 

“ Only just a word or two, Mr. Gwyn, sir,” said the 
man in a humble manner which accorded badly with his 
fierce, truculent appearance ; and for the moment the lad 
addressed thought that he meant treachery, and he too 
could not help glancing at the precipice so close at hand. 
“You see I ’m an unlucky sort of fellow, and somehow 
make people think wrong things about me. You and 
me got wrong first time you see me, but I did n’t mean no 
harm, and things got better till the other day over the 
bit o’ trouble about going down.” 

“ When you behaved like a cur and left us to take 
our chance. Quiet, Grip ! ” 

“ Look at that, now,” said Dinass, appealing to nobody, 


294 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


44 even him turning again me. Why, I ought to say as 
you two young gents went and forsook me down the 
old pit. Sure as goodness I thought you both did it as 
a lark. Why, it warn’t in me to do such a thing, and if 
you ’d only waited a few minutes till I ’d got my candle 
right, I ’d perhaps ha’ been able to save you from being 
lost. But I would ha’ tried.” 

44 Do you expect us to believe that you did not sneak 
back and leave us ? ” said Gwyn. 

44 Well, as young gents, I do hope you will, sir. Why, 
I ’d sooner have cut my head off than done such a thing. 
Forsake yer? Why, I was half mad when I found you ’d 
gone on, and I run and shouted here and there till I was 
hoarse as a crow, and when I found I was reg’lar lost 
there I can’t tell you what I felt. That ’s a true word, 
sir ; I never was so scared in my life.” 

44 Ah, well, perhaps we ’d better say no more about it, 
Dinass.” 

44 Tom Dinass, sir. Don’t speak as if you was out 
with me too.” 

44 We both thought you had left us in the lurch, but 
if you say you did not, why, we are bound to believe 
you.” 

44 Bah ! ” said Grip, in a growl full of disgust. 

44 Quiet, sir ! ” 

44 Ay, even that dawg don’t take to me,” said Dinass, 
in an ill-used tone. 44 But there, I don’t care now 
you young gents believe me.” 

44 All right, good morning,” said Gwyn shortly. 
44 Come along, Joe.” 

44 Nay, nay, don’t go away like that, Mr. Gwyn ; you ’ll 
think better of me soon when you arn’t so sore about 


GIFFiV’S ERROR. 


295 


it. For I put it to you, sir, as a gentleman as knows 
what the mine is, and to you too, Master Joe Jollivet, 
you both know — arn’t it a place where a man can lose 
himself quickly?” 

“ Well, yes, of course,” said Gwyn. 

“ Exactly ; well, I lost myself same as you did, and 
because I warn’t with you everybody’s agen me, Sam 
Hardock and Harry Yores and all the men, even the 
engine-tenter ; and that arn’t the worst of it.” 

“ What is, then?” said Joe. 

“ Why, this, sir,” said the man earnestly ; “ they ’ve 
made a bad report of me to the guv’nors, just when I 
was getting on and settling down to a good job in what 
seems like to be a rich mine with regular work, and I ’m 
under notice to leave.” 

“ Serve you right for being such a sneak,” said Joe 
angrily. 

“ Oh, Master Joe, you are hard on a man; but you’ll 
try and believe me, sir. I did try to find you both.” 

“ I dare say we ’re wrong, Joe,” said Gwyn; and the 
dog uttered another growl which sounded wonderfully 
like the word “ Bah ! ” 

44 Yes, sir, wrong you are ; and seeing how scarce work 
is and so many mines not going, you won’t mind putting 
a word in for me to the colonel and the major.” 

“ What for ? What about ? ” said Gwyn sharply. 
“ Your character ? ” 

“ Nay, sir ; I don’t want no character. Sam Hardock 
says the mine ’s rich, and I want to stay on. You say 
the right word to the colonel, and he ’ll keep me on.” 

44 1 don’t feel as if I could, Dinass,” said Gwyn 
thoughtfully. 


296 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“Not just this minute, sir,” said the man humbly; 
“ but if you think about it, and how hard it is for a man 
to lose his bread for a thing like that, you ’ll feel 
different about it. Do try, sir, please. I ’m a useful 
man and you ’ll want me, and I ’ll never forget it if 
you do.” 

“Well,” said Gwyn, “I ’ll think about it, but if I do 
ask my father he may not listen to me.” 

“ Oh, yes, he will, sir ; he ’d do anything you asked 
him, and so would yours, Master Joe. Do, please, gen- 
tlemen, and very thankful I ’ll be.” 

“ Come along, Joe,” said Gwyn. 

“ And you will speak a word for me, sirs, both of you ? ” 

“ I ’ll see,” said Joe ; and with Grip trotting softly 
behind them the two lads hurried off and. made for 
home. 

“You won’t ask for him to stay, Ydoll?” said Joe 
earnestly, as soon as they were out of earshot. 

“ Why not ? Perhaps we ’re misjudging him, after 
all.” 

“But I never liked him,” said Joe. 

“Well, I didn’t, and I don’t; but that’s no reason 
why we should be unfair. He is n’t a pleasant fellow, 
and nobody seems to like him. I believe he ’s right 
about all the men being set against him.” 

“ W ell, then, it ’s right for him to go.” 

“Oh, I say, Jolly, don’t be hard and unfair on a 
fellow. One ought to stick up for the weaker side. 
Let’s go and see if father’s in the office.” 

“ And you are going to speak for him ? ” 

“ Yes, and so are you; ” and Gwyn led the way to 
the new mine-buildings, where the carpenters and masons 


GWYN’S ERROR. 


297 


were still busy, and passing the mine where the pump 
was steadily at work, but going very slowly, for there 
was very little water to keep down. 

As the boys approached the doorway they saw Har- 
dock come out and go on to the mine, while on entering 
they found the colonel and major examining a rough 
statement drawn up by the captain, who had just left. 

“Well, boys,” said Major Jollivet, “have you come 
in to hear about it ? ” 

“No,” said Gwyn, staring; “about what, sir?” 

“ The mine, my boy. Hardock reports that the mine 
is very rich in ore, and that we have entered upon a 
very good speculation.” 

“ Yes, that is so, Gwyn,” said his father ; “ and we are 
going to begin work in real earnest now — I mean, begin 
raising ore ; and we must engage more men. W ell, you 
were going to say something ? ” 

“ Yes, father,” said Gwyn, rushing into his subject at 
once. “We have just seen Dinass.” 

“ Yes,” said the colonel, frowning ; “ he goes in about 
ten days, and we want some one in his place. What 
about him ? ” 

“ He has been telling us about his trouble — that he 
is dismissed.” 

“ He need not worry you about it, boy. He should 
have behaved better.” 

“Yes ; rank cowardice,” said Joe’s father shortly. 

“ No, major, he has been explaining to us how it was, 
and he says it was all accidental. He says we left him 
behind, and that he searched for us for long enough after- 
wards till he was quite lost. It is an awkward place to 
miss your way in.” 


298 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


“ Yes, yon boys ought to know that,” said the colonel. 
“ Then this man has been getting hold of you to petition 
to stay?” 

“ Yes, father, he asked us to speak for him.” 

“ Well, and are you going to ? ” said the major. 

“Yes, sir, I should like you and my father to give him 
another trial.” 

“ But you don’t like the man, Gwyn,” said the 
colonel. 

“No, father, not at all; but I don’t like to be preju- 
diced.” 

“And you, Joe,” said the major, “don’t you want to 
be prejudiced ? ” 

“ No, father; Ydoll here has put it so that I ’m ready 
to back him up. Dinass says he wants to get on and 
doesn’t like the idea of leaving a good rich mine.” 

“ Humph ! ” said the colonel ; “ we don’t want to dis- 
miss men : we want to engage them. What do you say, 
Jollivet? Shall we give him another trial ? ” 

“ I think so,” said the major ; “ he ’s a big, strong, 
well-set-up fellow. Pity to drum a man out of the regi- 
ment who may be useful.” 

“Yes,” said the colonel sharply. “Well, Gwyn, per- 
haps we have been too hard on him ; he is not popular 
with the other men, but he may turn out all right, and 
we can’t afford to dismiss a willing worker, so you may 
tell him that at the interposition of you two boys we 
will cancel the dismissal and he can stay on.” 

“ And tell him, boys,” said the major, “ that he is to 
do your recommendation credit.” 

“Yes, father,” came in duet, and the boys hurried out 
to look for Dinass and tell him their news. 


GWYN'S ERROR. 


299 


“Thank ye, my lads,” he said, smiling grimly ; “I’ll 
stay and won’t forget it.” 

That night Dinass wrote a letter to somebody he 
knew — an ill-spelt letter, in a clumsy, schoolboy ish 
hand, but it contained the information that the old mine 
was rich beyond belief, and that he was beginning to 
see his way. 

Gwyn did not know it then, but he had committed 
one of the great errors of his life. 


300 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

SAM HARDOCK BRINGS NEWS. 

'Time went on, and at the end of a year Ydoll Mine 
was in working order, with a good staff, the best of 
machinery for raising the ore, a man-engine for the 
work-people’s ascent and descent, a battery of stamps 
which kept up an incessant rattle as the heavily laden 
piles crushed the pieces of quartz, and in addition a solid- 
looking building with its furnaces for smelting the tin. 

They were busy days there, and Gwyn and his com- 
panion found little time for their old pursuits, egging, 
rabbiting, and fishing, save occasionally when, by way of 
a change, they would spend an evening on the rocky 
point which formed one of the protecting arms of Ydoll 
Cove, trying with pike rods, large winches, and plenty of 
line for the bass which played in silvery shoals in the 
swift race formed at the point by the meeting of two 
currents, and often having a little exciting sport in land- 
ing the swift-swimming, perch-finned, silvery-sided fish. 

The fishing was too good off that part of the Cornish 
coast to be neglected, and the colonel made allusions 
to the old proverb about all work and no play making 
Jack a dull boy. 

One afternoon Gwyn loosened Grip for a run, to the 
dog’s great delight; and after seeking out Joe, who had 
been at home for days attending on his father, who was 


SAM HARDOCK BRINGS NEWS. 


301 


troubled with one of his old fits, — Joe called them visits 
from the jungle demon, — the boys went down to the 
mine, Grip trotting behind them, save when some rustle 
to right or left attracted him for a frantic hunt to dis- 
cover the cause. 

At the mine Tom Dinass was found, looking very sour 
and grim, for he was still not the best of friends with 
his fellow-workmen ; but as he was one of the most steady 
in his devotion to his work, he stood well with the owners 
of the mine. 

Gwyn caught sight of him first, and Dinass saw him 
at the same moment, but instead of coming forward he 
pretended to have something to do elsewhere, and went 
off into the smelting-house. 

“ What ’s he gone off like that for ? ” said Gwyn ; and 
the boys followed just in time to hear some blows being 
struck in the gloomy place, where a fierce fire was roar- 
ing and sending thin pencils of light through cracks in 
the furnace door. 

The next moment some pieces of hard-burned clay 
crumbled beneath the blows, and there was a dazzling 
stream of molten metal poured out, to run along chan- 
nels made in the floor to form flat squarish ingots of tin 
and display the colors of the rainbow intensified to a 
brilliancy that was almost more than the eye could bear. 

“Please father when he hears of the casting,” said 
Joe. “So much money has been laid out that he likes 
to hear of anything that will bring a return.” 

“ Well, there ’s plenty of return coming in now,” said 
Gwyn. “We ’ve got one of the richest mines in Corn- 
wall. Here, Tom Dinass ! What ’s he mean by sneak- 
ing away? Here, Tom Dinass ! ” 


302 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“Want me, sir?” said the man, looking from one to 
the other suspiciously as he came up, his face shining 
in the wonderful glow shed by the molten tin. 

“Yes, of course. Didn’t you see us coming to you 
before ? ” 

“Me, sir? No; I didn’t know as you wanted me,” 
and he seemed to draw himself up for defence. 

“Well, we do,” said Gwyn. “We want to have out 
the seine to-night ; the tide will fit, and there have been 
mullet about.” 

“ Oh, that ’s it, sir ? ” said the man, who seemed much 
relieved. “ Here, keep off with you ! ” he growled; “ my 
legs arn’t roast meat.” 

“ Come here, Grip,” cried Gwyn. “ To heel, sir ! I 
wish you two would be better friends.” 

“ ’T ain’t my fault, sir ; it ’s Grip. He ’s always nasty 
agen me.” 

“Well, never mind the dog. What time will you be 
off duty to-night ? ” 

“ Five, sir.” 

“ That will do. See that the trawl ’s ready. I ’ll 
speak to the others. We ’ll be down there at five — no, 
half-past, because of tea.” 

“ I ’ll be there, sir,” said Dinass ; and the boys went 
off, with Dinass watching them till the door swung close 
after them. “Nay, my legs arn’t roast meat, but,” he 
continued, as he glanced towards the molten metal still 
glowing, “it would soon be roast dog if I had my 
chance.” 

Meanwhile the boys went on to continue their prepa- 
rations, and then hurried home for their meal ; and 
for the first time Gwyn thought of Grip, and whistled 


SAM HARDOCK BRINGS NEWS. 


303 


to him to come and be tied up, but the dog did not 
come. 

“ Smelt a rabbit somewhere,” said Gwyn, and thought 
no more about the dog. 

In due time Dinass appeared down by the sandy cove, 
and after the long seine had been carefully laid in the 
stern of the boat and the end lines left in charge of a 
couple of miners on one of the points, the boat was 
rowed straight out, with Gwyn paying out the net with 
its lead line and cork line running over a roller in the 
stern. Then at a certain distance the boat would be 
made to curve round to the right, and then rowed in a 
curve with the net still being paid out till the rocks 
on the other side by the race were reached and the sandy 
cove was shut in by a wall of net, kept stretched by the 
leads at the bottom and the line of corks at the top. 

At this point the boys landed, with their trousers 
tucked up to the highest extent, jackets off, and arms 
bare as their legs to start inland' dragging the lines, the 
men on the other point starting at the same time, and 
treating the dot-like row of corks from a better curve as 
the strain on the ropes grew heavier. 

Tom Dinass now started for the point at the head of 
the cove, to run the boat well ashore and then go to the 
help of the boys as they toiled steadily on stepping over 
the rocks which were slippery with reddish-yellow fucus, 
till the broken rocks gave place to the heavy, well-rounded 
bowlders which rattled and rumbled over one another in 
times of storm. Then the bowlders gave place to shin- 
gle, which was rather better for the fishers, and lastly to 
the fine level sand over which the seine was to be 
dragged. 


304 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


But this took some time and no little labor, for it was 
slow, hard work full of the excitement of speculation, 
for the net, after enclosing so wide an area, might come 
in full of fish, or with nothing but long heavy strands of 
floating weed torn by the waves from the rocks perhaps 
miles away. 

Experience and hints given by the blue-shirted, bronzed 
fishers of the cove had taught the boys when was the 
best time for shooting the seine, however, so they gener- 
ally were pretty successful ; and as the net was drawn 
in nearer, the bobbing of the line of corks and sundry 
flashes and twistings would tell that fish of some kind 
had been enclosed — and then the excitement began. 

It was a bright scene that summer’s evening when 
the sea was impurpled by the reflections of the gor- 
geous sunset, and the mine chimneys stood out high 
up on the cliff against the western sky, the smoke 
from that of the smelting-house looking like a golden 
feather. 

But neither Gwyn nor Joe had eyes for the beauties 
of nature which surrounded the nook where their fathers 
had made their home, for the excitement of the seine- 
drawing was gaining in intensity. 

Dinass, after running up the boat by the help of a 
couple of the men who had strolled down to see, was 
hurrying to pass the boys and wade out with an oar 
over his shoulder behind the line of corks, ready to 
splash and beat the water, should there, by any chance, 
be a shoal of mullet within, — - no unlikely event, for 
these fish came up with the tide, to feed upon the scraps 
and odds and ends which came down the little stream- 
let from the village ; and often enough their habit was 


SAM HARDOCK BRINGS NEWS. 


805 


when enclosed, to play follow my leader, and leap the 
cork line and get out again to sea. 

It was well that the precaution was taken, for upon 
this occasion a little shoal had been drawn in, to swim 
about peaceably enough for a time ; but when the water 
shallowed and their leader found that the wall of net 
was in his way, a frantic rush was made, 'and Dinass 
brought down his oar with a tremendous splash, when 
they darted in another direction ; but there the top and 
bottom of the net were drawing together, forming a hag, 
into which the shoal passed, and their effort to shoot out 
of the water was frustrated. 

Again they appeared at the surface, but the splashing 
of the oar checked them, and this happened again and 
again till their chance was gone, and, mingled with the 
other fish enclosed, they swam wildly about, seeking now 
for a hole or a way beneath the line of leads. 

The fish sought in vain, and as the ends of the net 
were drawn in more and more, Dinass waded behind 
about the centre of the great bag, taking hold of the 
cork line and helping it along till the sandy beach was 
neared, and relieving some of the strain till slowly and 
steadily the seine was drawn right up with its load after 
cleanly sweeping up everything which had been enclosed, 
which was a great deal more than was wanted. 

The contents of the net were curious, and as the cork 
line was drawn back flat on the sands there was plenty 
of work for the men to pick off of the net the masses 
of tangled fucus and bladder wrack which had come up 
with the tide. Jelly-fish, great transparent disks with 
their strangely colored tentacles, were there by the 
dozen, pieces of floating wood, scraps of rope and 


306 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


canvas, and a couple of the curious squids with their 
suckers and staring eyes. 

All these were thrown off rapidly upon the sands 
right and left, and then the baskets were brought into 
play for the gathering of the spoil, while, scurrying away 
over net and sand and making rapidly for the water, 
dozens of small crabs kept escaping from among the 
flopping fish, strangely grotesque in their actions as they 
ran along sidewise flourishing their pincers threateningly 
aloft. 

In its small way it proved to be a fortunate haul, in- 
cluding as it did the whole of the little shoal of gray 
mullet, some three dozen, in their silvery scale armor, 
and running some three or four pounds’ weight each. 
Then there were nearly a score of the vermilion and 
orange-dyed red mullet, small brilliant little fellows ; a 
few small-sized mackerel, large-eyed, creamy; a few 
gurnard ; a basketful of little flat fish ; and a number 
of small fry which had to be dealt with gingerly, for 
among them were several of the poisonous little weevers 
whose sharp back fins and spines make such dangerous 
wounds. 

At last all were gathered up, and after giving orders 
for the seine to be carefully shaken clear and spread out 
to dry upon the downs, the two lads proceeded to select 
a sufficiency of the red and gray mullet for home use 
and a brace for Sam Hardock, and then made a distribu- 
tion of the rest, the men from the mine having gathered 
to look on and receive. Gwyn and Joe took a handle 
each of their rough basket, and began to trudge up the 
cliff-path, stopping about half-way up to look down at 
the people below. 


SAM HARDOCK BRINGS NEWS. 


307 


“ I say, how Tom Dinass enjoys a job of this kind,” 
said Gwyn, as he turned over their capture in the basket, 
and noted how rapidly their lovely colors began to fade. 

“Yes, better than mining,” said Joe thoughtfully. 
“ I say, why is he so precious fond of hunting about 
among the rocks at low water ? ” 

“ I don’t know. Is he ? ” 

“Yes. I ’ve watched him from my window several 
times. I can just command that rocky stretch that’s 
laid bare by the tide.” 

“ Why, you can’t see much from there,” said Gwyn. 

“ Yes, I can. I ’ve got father’s field-glass up, and I 
can see him quite plain. I saw him yesterday morning 
just at daylight. I ’d been in father’s room to give him 
his medicine, for his fever has been threatening to come 
back.” 

“ Trying to find a lobster or crab or two ? ” 

“ People don’t go lobstering with a hammer.” 

“ Expected to find a conger, then, and wanted the 
hammer to knock it down.” 

Joe laughed. 

“ You ’ve got to hit a conger before you can knock it 
down. Not easy with a hammer.” 

“ Well, what was he doing? ” 

“ Oh, I don’t know, unless he was chipping the stones 
to try whether a vein of tin runs up there.” 

“Well, it may,” said Gwyn thoughtfully. “Why 
shouldn’t it?” 

“ I don’t know why it should n’t, but it is n’t likely.” 

“ Why not, when the mine runs right under there ? ” 

“ What ? Nonsense ! ” 

“ It does. I was down that part with Sam Hardock 


308 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


one day when the wind was blowing hard, and Sam could 
hear the waves heat and the big bowlders rumble-tumb- 
ling after as they fell back.” 

“ How horrid ! ” said Joe, looking at his companion 
with his face drawn in accord with his words. “ Why 
didn’t you tell me?” 

“ Forgot all about it afterwards ; never remembered it 
once till you began to talk like this.” 

“ But how strange ! ” said Joe. 

“ Oh, I don’t see why it should be strange. The old 
folks found a rich vein, and when they did they fol- 
lowed it up wherever it went, and that ’s of course why 
it ’s such a rambling old place. But that ’s what old 
Dinass is after. He thinks that if he can find a new 
vein, he ’ll get a reward.” 

“ What a game if he finds one running out through 
the rocks.” 

“ I don’t see how it ’s going to be a game.” 

“Don’t you? Why to find that he has discovered 
what already belongs to us, for of course the foreshore ’s 
ours, and even if it was n’t he could n’t go digging down 
there for ore.” 

“ Why?” 

“ Because for one thing the waves would n’t let him, 
and for another we should n’t allow him to dig a hole 
down into our mine. There, come on, and let’s take 
them some fish ; and I want to get on my dry clothes. 
What are you thinking about ? ” 

“ Eh?” said Joe, with a start. 

“ I said what are you thinking about ? ” 

“ Tom Dinass.” 

“Not a very pleasant subject either. I get to like 


SAM HARDOCK BRINGS NEWS. 


309 


him less and less, and it ’s my opinion that if he gets 
half a chance, he’ll be doing something — Halloo ! ” 

“ Oh, here yon are, Master Gwyn.” 

“ Yes ; what’s the matter, Sam? ” 

“ Yon ’ll know quite soon enough, sir. Come on np 
to the mine. Harry Yores has just gone back there. It 
was him brought me the news.” 


310 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


CHAPTER XXXIX. 
grip’s bad luck. 

“ Why don’t yon speak ? ” cried Gwyn angrily. “ Has 
there been an accident ? Surely father has n’t gone 
down.” 

“ Oh, the colonel ’s all right, sir,” said Hardock 
genially. “The governor has n’t gone and lost himself.” 

“But there has been an accident, Sam,” cried Joe. 

“ 4 Nor the major arn ’t gone down neither, sir,” said 
the man. “ Here, let me carry that fish-basket. Did n’t 
remember me with a couple o’ mullet, did you ? ” 

“ Yes, two of those are for you, Sam ; but do speak 
out. What is wrong ? ” 

“ Something as you won’t like, sir. Your dog Grip ’s 
gone down the mine.” 

“What for? Thinks we ’re there? Well, that’s 
nothing : he ’ll soon find his way up. Why did they let 
him go down ? ” 

“ Could n’t help it, sir,” said the man slowly. 

“ What, he would go ? I did miss him, Joe, when I 
went home. I remember now, I did n’t see him after we 
went to the mine. He must have missed us, and then 
thought we had gone down.” 

“Sets one thinking of being lost and his coming 
after us,” said Joe slowly. “Well, he can’t lose his 
way.” 


GRIP'S BAD LUCK. 


311 


“ But how do yon know he went down, Sam ? ” asked 
Gwyn as they approached the mine. 

“Harry Yores heard him.” 

“ What, barking ? ” 

“ ’Owlin’.” 

“ Oh, at the bottom of the shaft. Dull because no 
one was down. Then why did you say there was an 
accident? You gave me quite a turn.” 

“’Cause there was an accident, sir,” said Hardock 
quietly ; and he led the way into the great shed over 
the pit mouth where all was very still. 

Gwyn saw at a glance that something serious had 
happened to the dog, which was lying on a roughly 
made bed composed of a miner’s flannel coat laid on the 
floor, beside which Harry V ores was kneeling ; and as 
soon as the dog heard steps, he raised his head, turned his 
eye pitifully upon his masters, and uttered a doleful howl. 

“ Why, Grip, old chap, what have you been doing ? ” 
cried Gwyn excitedly. 

“Don’t torment him, sir,” said Yores; “he’s badly 
hurt.” 

“ Where ? Oh, Grip, Grip ! ” cried Gwyn, as he laid his 
hand on the dog’s head, while the poor beast whined 
dolefully and made an effort to lick the hand that 
caressed him, and gazed up at his master as if asking 
for sympathy and help. 

“ Both his fore legs are broken, sir, and I ’m afraid 
he ’s got nipped across the loins as well.” 

“Nay, nay, nay, Harry,” growled Hardock; “not 
him. If he had been he would n’t have yawled till 
you heard him.” 

“ Nipped? ” said Gwyn. “ Then it was n’t a fall.” 


812 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Nay, sir. Harry Yores and me thinks he must ha’ 
missed yon and thought you ’d gone down the mine, and 
waited his chance and jumped on to the up-and-down to 
go down hisself.” 

“ Oh, but the dog would n’t have had sense enough to 
do that.” 

“ I dunno, sir. Grip ’s got a wonderful lot o’ sense of 
his own. ’Member how he found you two young gents 
in the mine ? Well, he ’s seen how the men step on and 
off the up-and-down and he ’d know to do it. He must, 
you know.” 

“ But some of the men would know,” said Gwyn. 

“ Dessay they do, sir, but they ’re all off work now, 
and we don’t know who did it. W ell, he must have had 
a hunt for you, and not smelling you came back to the foot 
o’ the shaft, and began to mount last thing till he were 
close to the top, and then made a slip and got nipped. 
That ’s how we think it was, eh, Harry ? ” 

“Yes, sir; that’s all I can make of it,” said Yores. 
“ I was coming by here when the men were all up and 
the engine was stopped, and I heard a yawling, and last 
of all made out that it was down the shaft here, and I 
fetched Master Hardock here and we got the engine 
started, and I went down and found the poor dog four 
steps down, just ready to lick my hand, hut he could n’t 
wag his tail, and that ’s what makes me think he ’s 
nipped.” 

But just then Grip moved his tail feebly, a mere ghost 
of a wag. 

“ There ! ” said Hardock triumphantly ; “ see that ? 
Why, if he ’d been caught across the lines he ’d have 
never wagged his tail again.” ^ 


GRIP'S BAD LUCK. 


813 


“Poor old Grip,” said Gwyn tenderly; “that must 
have been it. He tried too much. Caught while com- 
ing up. Here, let ’s look at your paw.” 

The boy tenderly took hold of the dog’s right paw, 
and he whined with pain, but made no resistance, only 
looked appealingly at his master. 

“ Oh, there ’s no doubt about it, Joe ; both legs have 
been crushed.” 

Joe drew a long, hissing breath through his teeth. 

“It’s ’most a wonder as both legs warn’t chopped 
right off,” said Yores. “Better for him, pore chap, if 
they had been.” 

“Hadn’t we better put him out of his misery, sir?” 
said Hardock. 

“ Out of his misery ! ” cried Gwyn indignantly. “ I 
should like to put you out of your misery ! ” 

“Nay, you don’t mean that, sir,” said the captain, 
with a chuckle. 

“ Kill my dog ! ” cried Gwyn. 

“ You ’ll take his legs right off, won’t you, sir, with a 
sharp knife?” said Yores. 

“No, I won’t,” cried Gwyn fiercely. 

“ Better for him, sir,” said Yores. “ They ’d heal up 
then.” 

“ But you can’t give a dog a pair o’ wooden legs, 
matey,” said Hardock solemnly. “ If you cuts off his 
front legs, you ’d have to cut off his hind legs to match. 
Well, he’d on’y be like one o’ them turnspitty dogs 
then ; and it always seems to me a turnspitty to let such 
cripply things live.” 

“ We must take him home, Joe,” said Gwyn, who did 
not seem to heed the words uttered by the men. 


314 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


44 Yes,” said Joe. “ Poor old chap,” and he bent down 
to stroke the dog’s head softly. 

44 Better do it here, Master Gwyn,” said Hardock. 
44 We ’ll take him into the engine-house, to the wood- 
block. I know where the chopper ’s kept.” 

44 What ? ” cried Gwyn in horror. 44 Oh, you wretch ! ” 

44 Nay, sir, not me. It ’s the kindest thing you can 
do to him. You needn’t come. Harry Yores’ll hold 
him to the block, and I ’ll take off all four legs clean at 
one stroke and make a neat job of it, so as the wounds 
can heal.” 

Gwyn leaped to his feet, seized the maund basket from 
where it had been placed upon the floor, tilted it upside 
down, so that the fish flew out over one side of the shed, 
and, as he let the great basket down, he cried sharply 
to Joe : 

44 Catch hold! ” and setting the example he took hold 
of the ends of the flannel couch on which the dog lay. 
Joe took the other, and together they lifted the dog care- 
fully into the basket, where he subsided without a whine, 
his eyes seeming to say, 44 Master knows best.” 

“I’ll carry him to the coal-house, Mr. Gwyn, sir,” 
said Yores. 

“ No, thank you,” said the boy shortly, “ we can 
manage.” 

44 Did n’t mean to offend you, sir,” said the man apolo- 
getically. 44 Wanted to do what was best.” 

44 Ay, sir, that we did,” said Hardock. 44 1 ’m afeard 
if you get touching his legs they ’ll go all mortificatory 
and drop off ; and a clear cut ’s better than that, for if 
his legs mortify-like he ’ll die. If they ’re ampitated 
he ’ll bleed a bit, but he ’ll soon get well.” 


GRIP'S BAD LUCK. 


31 5 


“ Thank you both,” said Gwyn quietly. “ I know 
you did not mean harm, but we can manage to get him 
right, I think. Come along, Joe.” 

They lifted the basket, one at each end, swinging the 
dog between them, and started off, Grip whining softly, 
but not attempting to move. 

“ Shall we bring on the fish, sir ? ” shouted Hardock. 

“ Bother the fish ! ” cried Gwyn. “ No, take them 
yourselves.” 


316 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


CHAPTER XL. 

A BIT OF SUBGEBY. 

“ Oh, Gwyn, my dear boy,” cried Mrs. Pendarve, who 
was picking flowers for the supper-table as the boys 
came up to the gate, “what is the matter?” 

“ Grip’s legs broken,” said the boy abruptly. 
“ Where ’s father ? ” 

“In the vinery, my dear. What are you going to 
do ? Let me see if ” — 

No, no, mother, we ’ll manage,” said Gwyn. “ Come 
along, Joe.” 

They hurried down the garden and up to where the 
sloping glass structure stood against the wall, from out 
of which came the sound of the colonel’s manly voice 
as he trolled out a warlike ditty in French with a chorus 
of “ Marchons ! Marchons ! ” and at every word grape 
shot fell to the ground, for the colonel, in spite of the 
suggestions of war, was peacefully engaged, being 
seated on the top of a pair of steps thinning out the 
grapes which hung from the roof. 

“ Here, father, quick ! ” cried Gwyn as they entered 
the vinery. 

“ Eh ? Halloo ! What ’s the matter ? ” said the colonel. 

“ Grip ’s been on the man-engine and got his fore legs 
crushed.” 

“ Dear me ! Poor old dog ! ” said the colonel, descend- 


A BIT OF SURGERY. 


317 


ing from the ladder and sticking his long scissors like 
a dagger through the bottom buttonhole of his coat. 
“ Then we must play the part of surgeon, my boy. 
Not the first time, Joe. Clap the lid on the tank.” 

The wooden cover was placed upon the galvanized- 
iron soft-water tank, and poor Grip, who looked wistfully 
up in the colonel’s eyes, was lifted out and laid carefully 
upon the top, while the colonel took off his coat and 
turned up his sleeves in the most business-like manner. 

“I remember out at Bongay Wandoon, boys, after a 
sharp fight with a lot of fanatical Ghazis, who came up 
as I was alone with my company. We had ten poor 
fellows cut and hacked about, and no surgeon within a 
couple of hundred miles, which meant, up there in the 
mountains, at least a week before we could get help. It 
was all so unexpected, no fighting being supposed to be 
possible, that I was regularly taken by surprise when the 
wretches had been driven off, and I found myself there 
with the ten poor fellows on my hands. I was only a 
young captain then, and I felt regularly knocked over ; 
but, fortunately, I’da good sergeant, and we went first 
to my lieutenant, who had been one of the first to go 
down. But he would n’t have a cut touched till the men 
had been seen to. I ’m afraid my surgery was a very 
bungling affair, but the sergeant and I did our best, and 
we didn’t lose a patient. Our surgeon made sad fun 
of it all when he saw what had been done, and he snarled 
and found fault, and abused me to his heart’s content ; 
but some time after he came and begged my pardon, and 
shook hands, and asked me to let him show me all he 
could in case I should ever be in such a fix again. Con- 
sequently, I often used to go and help him when we had 


318 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


men cut down. I liked learning, and it pleased the men, 
too, and taught me skill. Poor old dog, then, no snap- 
ping. The poor fellow’s legs are regularly crushed, as if 
he had been hit with an iron bar used like a scythe.” 

“ Crushed in the man-engine, father,” said Gwyn. 

“Ah, yes, that must have done it. Well, Gwyn, my 
boy, a doctor would say here in a case like this — 
amputation. I can’t save the limbs.” 

“ Oh, father, it is so horrible ! ” 

“ Yes, my boy, but you want to save the poor fellow’s 
life.” 

“ Can’t anything be done, sir?” said Joe. 

“ Humph ! Well, we might try,” said the colonel, as 
he tenderly manipulated the dog’s legs, the animal only 
whining softly and seeming to understand that he was 
being properly treated. “Yes, we will try; here, Joe 
Jollivet, go and ask Mrs. Pendarve to give you about 
half a dozen yards of linen for a bandage, and bring 
back a big needle and thick thread.” 

“Yes, sir,” and Joe hurried out, but soon poked his 
head in again. “ Don’t get it all done, sir,, till I ’ve come 
back ; I want to see.” 

“ Can’t till you come, boy. Off with you ! N ow, 
Gwyn, fill the watering-pot ; I ’ll lift the lid of the 
tank.” 

The pot was filled and the dog placed back again. 

“Now fetch that bag of plaster of Paris from the tool- 
house shed,” said the colonel. 

This, too, was soon done, and a portion of the white 
cement poured out into a flower-pot. 

“ Is that good healing stuff, father ? ” asked Gwyn. 

“ No, but it will help ; wait a bit and you ’ll see,” said 


A BIT OF SURGERY. 


319 


the colonel, and he once more softly felt the dog’s 
crushed and splintered legs, shaking his head gravely 
the while. 

“Don’t you think you can save his legs, father?” 
asked Gwyn. 

“ f ’m very much in doubt, my boy,” said the colonel, 
knitting his brows ; “ but dogs have so much healthy 
life in them, and heal up so rapidly, that we ’ll try. 
Now, then, how long is that boy going to be with those 
bandages ? Oh, here he is.” 

Gwyn opened the door, and Joe hurried in. 

“ Ha ! that will do,” said the colonel ; and cutting 
off two pieces a yard long, he thrust them into the water- 
ing-pot, soaked them, wrung them out, and then rolled 
both in the flower-pot with the plaster of Paris. 

Then washing his hands he took one of the injured 
legs, laid the broken bones in as good order as he could ; 
and as Gwyn held the bandage ready, the leg was 
placed in it and bound round and round and drawn tight, 
the dog not so much as uttering a whimper, while after 
a few turns the limp lump seemed to grow firmer. 
Then the bandaging was continued till all the wet linen 
was used, when the colonel well covered the moist 
material with dry plaster, which was rapidly absorbed ; 
and taking a piece of the dry bandage thoroughly bound 
up the limb, threaded the big needle, and sewed the end 
of the linen firmly, and then the dog was turned right 
over for the other leg to be attacked. 

“Well, he is a good, patient beast,” said Gwyn 
proudly. “ But you don’t think he ’s dying, do you, 
father ? ” he added anxiously. 

“ Speak to him and try,” said the colonel. 


320 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


Gvvyn spoke, and the dog responded by tapping the 
cistern lid with his tail very softly, and then whined 
piteously, for the colonel, in placing the splintered bones 
as straight as he could, was inflicting a great deal of 
pain. 

“ Can’t help it, Canis, my friend,” said the colonel. 
“ If you are to get better, I want it to be with straight 
legs, and not to have you a miserable, odd-legged 
cripple. There, I shall soon be done — that bandage is 
too dry, Gwyn ; moisten it again. Wring it out. That ’s 
right ; now dip it in the plaster.” 

“What’s that for, sir?” said Joe, who was looking 
on eagerly. 

“What do you think?” replied the colonel. “Now, 
Gwyn, right under, and hold it like a hammock, while I 
lay the leg in. I ’m obliged to hold it firmly, to keep 
the bones in their places. Now right over and tighten 
it. That ’sit; round again. Now go on. Round and 
round. Well done; tighter. Now I ’ll finish. Well,” 
he continued, as he took the end of the bandage, and 
braced the dog’s leg firmly, “ why do I use this nasty 
white plaster, Joe?” 

“ Because it will set hard and stiff round the broken 
leg.” 

“ Good boy,” said the colonel, smiling ; “ take him up. 
Gwyn didn’t see that.” 

“Yes I did, father; but I didn’t like to bother you 
and speak.” 

“ Then stop where you are, boy. Keep down, Joe ; 
he behaved the better of the two. You are both right; 
the plaster and the linen will mould themselves as they 
dry to the shape of the dog’s legs, and if we can keep 


A BIT OF SURGERY. 


821 


him from trying to walk and breaking the moulds, 
Nature may do the rest. At all events, we will try. 
When the linen is firm, I ’ll bind splints of wood to them 
as well, so as to strengthen the plaster, though it is nat- 
urally very firm.” 

“ It will be a job to keep him quiet, father,” said 
Gwyn. 

“ I ’m afraid so, my boy ; not, however, till the plaster 
sets ; that cannot take very long, and we shall have to 
hold him down if it’s necessary, but I don’t think it 
will be. Poor fellow, he ’ll very likely go to sleep.” 

As he spoke the colonel was busily employed finishing 
the bandaging ; and when this was done, he stood think- 
ing, while the dog lay quiet enough, blinking at those 
who had been operating upon him. 

“ We might secure his legs somehow,” said the colonel 
thoughtfully, “ for all our success depends upon the next 
hour.” 

Grip solved the difficulty by stretching himself, out 
on one side with his bandaged legs together; and 
closing his eyes, went off fast asleep with the boys 
watching him, the colonel having gone into the house, 
for it had turned too dark for him to go on grape-thin- 
ning long before the canine surgery was at an end. 


322 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


CHAPTER XLI. 

A man’s mystery. 

The boys watched beside the dog till past ten o’clock, 
when the colonel came in and examined the bandages. 

14 Set quite hard,” he said, 44 and he ’s sleeping fast 
enough. Nature always seems kind to injured animals. 
They curl up and go to sleep till they ’re better.” 

44 Then you think he ’ll get better, sir ? ” said Joe. 

44 Can’t say, my boy, but you had better be off home to 
bed.” 

44 Yes, sir,” said Joe. 44 Coming part of the way with 
me, Gwyn ? ” 

Gwyn glanced at his father before saying yes, for he 
expected to hear an objection. 

But the colonel’s attention was fixed upon the dog. 

44 Let him sleep,” he said ; 44 he ’ll be all right here till 
morning.” 

44 But if he stirs he may fall off the cistern and hurt 
himself again, father.” 

44 No fear, my boy. I don’t suppose he will attempt 
to move all night. There, off with you, Gwyn, if you 
are going part of the way.” 

The boys followed the colonel out of the vinery, the 
door was shut, and the ascending lane leading to the 
major’s house was so soon reached, and then the rugged 
down. 


A MAN'S MYSTERY . 


328 


“ Precious dark,” said Gwyn ; but there was no 
answer. 

“Sleep, Jolly?” said Gwyn after a few moments. 

“Eh? No; I was thinking. I say, though, how pre- 
cious dark it is,” for they could not see a dozen yards. 

“ Yes, but what were you thinking about ? ” 

“ The dog.” 

“ Oh, yes, of course, so was I ; but what about him ? ” 
said Gwyn sharply. 

“How he got hurt.” 

“ Chopped in the man-engine. You heard.” 

“ Yes, but I don’t believe it.” 

“ Here ’s a miserable unbeliever,” said Gwyn mock- 
ingly. “ How did he get hurt, then ? ” 

“Some one did it.” 

“ Oh, nonsense ! It is n’t likely. The machine did it, 
same as it would you or me if we were n’t careful.” 

“ But that was n’t how poor old Grip was hurt.” 

“ How, then ? ” 

“ I feel sure he was hurt with an iron bar.” 

“ Why, who would hurt him in that brutal way ? ” 

“ Some one who hated him.” 

“ Gammon ! ” 

“Very well, gammon, then. But when did we see 
him last ? ” 

“ Last ? last ? Oh, I know : when we went to the 
smelting-house to find Tom Dinass.” 

“Well, we left him behind there. The door must 
have swung to and shut him in.” 

“ Then you think Tom Dinass did it ? ” 

“Yes, I do.” 

“Then I say it’s all prejudice. Tom’s turning out 


324 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


a thoroughly good fellow. See how willing he was ovei 
the fishing, and how he helped us this evening. You ’re 
always picking holes in Tom Dinass’s coat. What’s 
that?” 

A peculiar loud sneeze rang out suddenly from across 
the rough moorland to their right where the blocks of 
granite lay thick. 

“ Tom Dinass,” said Joe in a whisper; and he stepped 
quickly behind a block of stone, Gwyn involuntarily 
following him. “ That ’s his way of sneezing,” whispered 
Joe. “ What’s he doing over here to-night? ” 

The boys stood there perfectly silent; and directly 
after there was a faint rustling and the figure of a man 
was seen upon the higher ground against the sky-line, 
for a minute or so, as he passed them, crossing their 
track, and apparently making for the cliffs. 

Their view was indistinct, but the man seemed to be 
carrying something over his shoulder. Then he was 
gone. 

“ Going congering,” said Gwyn. “ He ’s making for 
the way down the rocks, so as to get to the point.” 

“ He would n’t go congering to-night,” said Joe. “ We 
gave him as much fish as he ’d want.” 

“ Going for the sport of the thing.” 

“ Down that dangerous way in the dark ? ” 

“ I daresay he knows it all right, and it saves him 
from going round by the fishermen’s cottages — half a 
mile or more.” 

“ ’T is n’t that,” said Joe. 

“What an obstinate old mule you are, Jolly!” cried 
Gwyn impatiently; “you don’t like Tom Dinass, and 
everything he does makes you suspicious.” 


A MAN'S mystery. 


325 


“ Well, do you like him ? ” 

“No; but I don’t always go jumping on him and 
accusing him of smashing dogs’ legs with iron stoking- 
bars. It would n’t be a man who would do that : he’d 
be a regular monster.” 

“ Let ’s go and see what he ’s after,” said Joe. 

“ What, late like this, in the dark ? ” 

“Yes; you’re not afraid, are you? I want to know 
what he ’s about. I ’m sure he ’s doing something 
queer.” 

“ I ’m not afraid to go anywhere where you go,” said 
Gwyn stoutly ; “ but of all the suspicious old women 
that ever were, you ’re getting about the worst.” 

“ Come along, then.” 

“ All right,” said Gwyn ; “ but if he finds us watching 
him throwing out a conger-line, he ’ll break our legs 
with an iron bar and pitch us off the cliff.” 

“ Yes, you may laugh,” said Joe thoughtfully, “ but 
I ’m sure Tom Dinass is playing some game.” 

“ Let ’s go and play with him, then. Only make haste, 
because I must get back.” 

Joe led the way cautiously off to their left, in and 
out among the stones and patches of furze and bramble, 
till they neared the edge of the cliff, when they went more 
and more cautiously till a jagged piece of crag stood up, 
showing where the precipice began, and to the left of 
this was the rather perilous way by which an active 
man could get down to the mass of tumbled rocks at 
the cliff-foot, and from there walk right out on the 
eastern point, which sheltered the cave from the fierce 
winds and waves. 

“All nonsense, Jolly,” whispered Gwyn, after they 


826 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


had stood for a few moments gazing down at where the 
waves broke softly with a phosphorescent light. “ I 
won’t go.” 

But as the boy spoke there was a loud clink from far 
below as if an iron bar had struck against a stone, and 
the lad’s heart began to beat hard with excitement. 

Then all was silent again for nearly five minutes, and 
the darkness, the faint, pale, lambent light shed by the 
waves, and the silence produced a strange shrinking 
sensation that was almost painful. 

“ Shall we go down? ” said Joe, in a whisper. 

“ And break our necks ? No, thank you. There, 
come back ; he has only gone to set a line for a conger.” 

“Hist!” whispered Joe, for at that moment, plainly 
heard, there came up to where they stood a peculiar 
thumping sound, as of a mason working with a stamp- 
ing iron upon stone. “Now, what does he mean by 
that? ” 


MINING MATTERS, 


327 


CHAPTER XLII. 

MINING MATTERS. 

The boys stayed there some time listening to the 
clinking sound, and then, feeling obliged to go, they hur- 
ried homeward. 

“ Tell you what,” said Gwyn as they parted, “ I ’m 
sure it ’s one of your jolly old mare’s-nests, but we ’ll 
wait till he has gone down the mine to-morrow morning, 
and then either go by the cliff or round by the cove- 
head and see what he has been about. I say it ’s a 
conger-line, and we may find one on.” 

“Perhaps so,” said Joe thoughtfully. “Ydoll, old 
chap, I don’t like Tom Dinass.” 

“ Nor I neither. But what ’s the matter now ? ” 

“ I ’m afraid he broke poor Grip’s legs.” 

“What? Nonsense! He would n’t be such a brute. 
No man would.” 

“Well, I hope not, but I can’t help thinking some- 
times that he did. You see the smelting-house door 
might have swung to and shut him in with Dinass, and 
he might have flown at him, and Dinass might have 
struck at him with one of the stoking-irons and broken 
his legs, and then been afraid and thrown him down the 
mine.” 

“ And pigs might fly, but they ’re very unlikely 
birds.” 


328 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


“ Well, we shall see,” said Joe ; and he hurried home 
to find his father asleep, while Gwyn, before going in, 
went on tiptoe to the vinery, and crept in to hear the 
dog snoring. Satisfied with this, he walked round the 
house, fully prepared to receive a scolding for being so 
long, and feeling disposed to take refuge in the excuse 
that he had been to see the dog ; but no lights were 
visible, every one having retired to rest, the leaving of 
doors unfastened not being considered a matter of much 
moment at that secluded place. 

So Gwyn crept to bed unheard, and had no need to 
make a shuffling excuse, and slept into the next morn- 
ing, to find at breakfast-time that his father had been 
out to the dog. 

“ How is he ? Oh, better than I expected to find him. 
He is not disposed to eat, only to sleep — and the best 
thing for him. The bandages are as hard as stone. 
Storm coming, I think, my dear.” 

“ We must not complain,” said Mrs. Pendarve. “ We 
have had lovely weather.” 

“ I don’t complain, and should not, unless the waves 
washed up into the mine, and gave us a week’s pump- 
ing ; but we should want monsters for that.” 

The colonel was right, for there was nearly a month’s 
bad weather, during which the waves came thundering 
in all along the coast ; no fishing-boats went out ; and as 
no opportunity occurred for getting down to the point, 
which was a wild chaos of foam, the strange behavior of 
Tom Dinass was forgotten. 

There were busy days, too, in the mine, stolen from 
those passed in superintending the tremendous output of 
tin ore, and the men worked below and above ; and the 


MINING MATTERS. 


329 


colonel and major shook hands as they congratulated 
themselves upon their adventure, it being evident now 
that a year of such prosperity would nearly if not quite 
recoup them for their outlay in machinery, they having 
started without the terribly expensive task of sinking 
the mine through the rock. All that they had to do was 
to pump out the first excavation, and then begin raising 
rich tin ore for crushing, washing, and smelting. 

The stolen days were devoted to making explorations 
and mapping out the mine. There were no more goings 
astray, for gallery after gallery was marked in paint or 
whitewash with arrows, so that by degrees miles of the 
intricacies, which formed a gigantic network, were fol- 
lowed and marked, and in these explorations abundant 
proof was given of the enormous wealth waiting to be 
quarried out. 

There was no wonder felt now that those who had 
gone down first should have lost themselves. 

“Wonder to me is, Mr. Gwyn,” said Hardock one 
day, “that we any on us came up again alive.” 

So they kept on exploring, and, well furnished with 
lights, the lads found the great hall, with its pillars of 
quartz veined with tin and strange passages going in 
different directions, far less horrible now. There was 
the gallery which dipped down, too, and which they 
found their way to now from both ends. It looked 
gloomy and strange, with the whispering sounds of fall- 
ing water and the reflections from the candles on the 
smooth, black surface ; but knowledge had robbed it of 
its horrors. 

“ Go through it again ? ” said Gwyn, as they stood 
looking along it ; “ to be sure I would, only I don’t want 


830 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


to get wet through for nothing. When we did wade 
through, Sam, one was always expecting to put one’s 
foot in a shaft or in a well, and go down never to come 
up again.” 

“ Ay, that would make you feel squirmy, sir.” 

“ It did,” said Gwyn, laughing ; “ hut, I say, was n’t 
Grip a splendid old fellow, and how he knew ! Fancy 
his swimming right along here.” 

“ Ay, he is a dog,” said Sam. “ How is he, sir ? ” 

“ Oh, he ’ll soon he out again, hut father wants to keep 
him chained up till his hones are properly grown together 
again.” 

“ He ’ll have to run dot and go one, I suppose, sir ? ” 

“ What, lame !” cried Gwyn. “Very little, I think. 
We can’t tell yet, because his legs are stiff with so 
much bandaging. I say, Sam, you fall down the shaft 
and break your legs, and we ’ll put ’em in plaster for 
you.” 

“No, thank ye, sir,” said the man, grinning as he 
stopped to snuff Iris candle with Nature’s own snuffers. 
“ I never had no taste for breaking bones. Now, then, 
we ’ll go round by a bit I came to one day, if you don’t 
mind a long walk back. Take us another two hours, 
but the floor ’s even and I want to have a look at it.” 

“ What sort of a place is it ? ” said Gwyn. “ Anything 
worth seeing ? ” 

“ Not much to see, sir, only it ’s one of the spots where 
the old miners left off after going along to the west. 
Strikes me it ’s quite the end that way ; and I want to 
make sure that we ’ve found one end of the old pit.” 

“Does the place seem worn out? ’’said Joe, who had 
been listening in silence. 


MINING MATTERS. 


331 


“ That ’s it, sir. Lode seems to have grown a bit 
narrower, and run up edgewise-like.” 

“ Why, we went there,” said Joe eagerly. “ Don’t you 
remember, Ydoll?” 

“ Yes, I remember now. I ’d forgotten it, though. 
I say ! Hark ! You can hear quite a murmuring if you 
put your ear against the wall.” 

u Yes, sir, you can hear it plainly enough in several 
places.” 

“Don’t you remember, Ydoll, how we heard it when 
we were lost ? ” 

“ Now you talk about it, I do, of course,” said Gwyn; 
“ but somehow being down here as we were, I seemed 
to be stunned, and it has always been hard work to 
recollect all we went through. I ’d forgotten lots of 
these galleries, and pools, and roofs, just as one forgets 
a dream. While going through them again they all 
seem to come back fresh, and I know them as well as can 
be. But what makes this faint rumbling, Sam ? Is it one 
of the little trucks rumbling along in the distance ? ” 

“No, sir,” said Hardock, with a chuckle. “What do 
you say it is, Master Joe?” 

The lad listened in silence for a few moments, and 
then said slowly: 

“ W ell, if I did n’t know that it was impossible, I 
should say that we were listening to the waves breaking 
on the shore.” 

“It arn’t impossible, sir, and that’s what you’re 
doing,” said Hardock ; and the boys started as if to make 
for the foot of the shaft. 

“ What ’s the matter ? ” said Hardock, chuckling ; 
“’fraid of it’s bursting through?” 


382 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“I don’t know — yes,” said Gwyn. “Wliat’s to pre- 
vent it?” 

“ Solid rock overhead, sir. It ’s lasted long enough, 
so I don’t see much to fear.” 

“But it sounds so horrible,” cried Joe, who suddenly 
found that the gallery in which they were standing felt 
suffocatingly hot. 

“ Oh, it ’s nothing when you ’re used to it. There ’s 
other mines bein’ worked right under the sea. There ’s 
no danger so long as we don’t cut a hole through to let 
the water in, and we shan’t do that.” 

“ But how thick is the rock over our heads ? ” 

“ Can’t say, sir, but thick enough.” 

“ But is it just over our heads here ? ” 

“Well, I should say it warn’t, sir; but I can’t quite 
tell, because it ’s so deceiving. I ’ve tried once or twice 
to make it out, but one time it sounds loudest along 
there, another time in one of the other galleries. It ’s 
just as it happens. Sound ’s a very curious thing, as I ’ve 
often noticed down a mine, for I ’ve listened to the men 
driving holes in the rock to load for a blast, and it ’s 
quite wonderful how it sounds sometimes in a gallery 
ever so far off, and how little when you ’re close to. 
Come along. N o fear of the water coming in, or I ’d 
soon say let’s get to grass.” 

The boys did not feel much relieved, but they would 
not show their anxiety, and followed the mining captain, 
with the pulsation of their hearts sounding a good deal 
heavier ; and they went on for nearly an hour before they 
reached the spot familiar to them, and which recalled the 
difficulty they had had with Grip when he ran up the 
passage and stood barking at the end, as if eager to show 
them that it was a cul de sac. 


MINING MATTERS. 


333 


Hardock went right to the end, and spent some time 
examining the place before speaking. 

Then he began to point out the marks made by picks, 
hammers, and chisels, some of which were so high up that 
he declared that the miners must have had short ladders 
or platforms. 

“Ladders, I should say,” he muttered; “and the 
mining must have been stopped for some reason, because 
the lode has n’t broken off. There ’s plenty of ore up 
there if we wanted it, and maybe we shall some day, 
but not just yet. There ’s enough to be got to make 
your fathers rich men, without going very far from the 
shaft foot ; and all this shows me that it must have been 
very, very long ago, when people only got out the richest 
of the ore, and left those who came after ’em to scrape 
up the rest. There, I think that will do for to-day.” 

The hoys thought so too, though they left this part 
rather reluctantly, for it was cooler, and the idea of 
going along through galleries which extended beneath 
the sea was anything but reassuring. 

That evening the major came over to the cottage with 
his son, and the long visit of the boys underground 
during the day formed one of the topics chatted ov£r, 
the major seeming quite concerned. 

“ I had no idea of this,” he said. “ Highly dangerous. 
You had not been told, Pendarve, of course?” 

“No,” said the colonel, smiling; “I had not been told, 
but I shrewdly suspected that this was the case, 
especially after hearing the faint murmuring sound in 
places.” 

“ But we shall be having some catastrophe,” cried the 
major ; “ the water breaking in.” 


334 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


The colonel smiled. 

“ I don’t think we need fear that ; the galleries are all 
arch-roofed, and cut through the solid rock, and, as far 
as I have seen, there has not been a single place where 
the galleries have failed. If they have not broken in 
from the pressure of the millions of tons of rock over- 
head, why should they from the pressure of the water?” 

“ Oh, but a leak might commence from filtration, and 
gradually increase in size,” said the major. 

“Possibly, my dear sir,” replied the colonel; “but 
water works slowly through stone, and for the next 
hundred years I don’t think any leakage could take 
place that we could not master with our pumping-gear. 
Oh, absurd ! There is no danger. Just try and think 
out how long this mine has been worked. I am quite 
read}^ to believe that it was left us by the Ancient 
Britons who supplied the Phoenicians.” 

“ May be ; we cannot tell,” said the major warmly, 
“ but you cannot deny that we found the mine full of 
water ? ” 

“No; and I grant that if we leave it alone for a hun- 
dred years it will be full again.” 

“ From the sea ? ” 

“ No ; from filtration through the rock. The water we 
pumped out was fresh, not salt. There, my dear Jolli- 
vet, pray don’t raise a bugbear that might scare the men 
and make them nervous ; they are bad enough with what 
they fancy about goblins and evil spirits haunting the 
mine. Even Hardock can’t quite divest himself of the 
idea that there is danger from the gentry of that kind ; 
don’t introduce water-sprites as well.” 

The subject dropped, but that night, impressed as they 


MINING MATTERS . 


335 


had been by what they had heard, and partly from par- 
taking too liberally of a late supper, both Gwyn and Joe 
had dreams about the sea breaking into and flooding the 
mine, Gwyn dreaming in addition that he behaved in 
a very gallant way; for he seemed to find the hole 
through which the water passed in and stopped it by 
thrusting in his arm, which stuck fast, and, try how he 
would, he could not extricate it, but stood there with 
the water gradually stifling him, and preventing him 
from calling aloud for help. 

The heat and darkness at last rescued him from his 
perilous position — that is to say, he awoke to find 
himself lying upon his back with his face beneath 
the clothes, and these being thrown off, he saw that the 
morning sunshine was flooding the bedroom, and the 
memory of the troublous dream rapidly died away. 


336 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


CHAPTER XLIII. 

AFTER A LAPSE. 

“ That makes the fourth,” said Colonel Pendarve, 
tossing a letter across to his son in the office one morn- 
ing when the mine was in full work ; “ four proposals 
from Mr. Wix, and I have had three at intervals from 
that other legal luminary, Brownson. Seven applications 
to buy the mine in two years, Gwyn. Yes, it will be 
two years next week since we began mining and in 
those two years you and Joe Jollivet have grown to be 
almost men — quite men in some respects, though you 
don’t shave yet.” 

“ Yes, I do, father,” said Gwyn, smiling. 

“ Humph ! ” ejaculated the colonel ; “then it ’s an utter 
waste of time. There, answer that letter and say em- 
phatically no.” 

The colonel left the office, and Gwyn read the letter. 

“Look here, Joe,” he said ; and Joe Jollivet, who had 
climbed up to six feet in the past two yearn, slowly rose 
from his table at the other side of the office, unfolding 
himself, as it were, like a carpenter’s three-hinged rule, 
and crossed to where Gwyn was seated with his table 
covered with correspondence. 

Joe read the letter and threw it back on the table. 

“Well,” he said, “it’s a pity they don’t sell it, but 
it ’s the old story : father says no. As he has started 


AFTER A LAPSE. 


337 


mining and it pays, lie shall go on, so that I may succeed 
him.” 

“And Colonel Pendarve, ex-officer of cavalry and 
now half-proprietor of Ydoll mine, says precisely the 
same on behalf of his fine, noble, handsome son Gwyn. 
Look here, Joe, why don’t you drop it and swell out the 
other way ? ” 

“Going to begin that poor stuff again?” said Joe 
sourly. 

“You make me. I declare I believe you’ve grown 
another inch in the night. What a jolly old cucumber 
you are. You ’ll have to go on your knees next time 
you go down the mine.” 

“You answer your letter aud then I want to talk to 
you.” 

“What about?” 

“ I ’ll tell you directly you ’ve written your let- 
ter. Get one piece of business out of your way at a 
time.” 

“ Dear me, how methodical we are ! ” said Gwyn ; but 
he began writing his answer, while, instead of going back 
to his table, Joe crossed to the hearth-rug where Grip 
was lying curled up asleep, and bending down slowly he 
patted the dog’s head and rubbed his ears, receiving an 
intelligent look in return, while the curly, feathery tail 
rapped the rug. 

“ There you are, Mr. Lester Wix, Esquire,” said Gwyn, 
after dashing off the reply ; “ now don’t bother us any 
more, for we are not going to sell. Hi ! Grip, old 
man, rabbits ! ” 

The dog sprang to his feet, uttered a sharp bark, and 
ran to the door before realizing that it meant nothing; 


338 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


and then, without a sign of a limp, walked slowly hack 
and lay down growling. 

“ Ha, ha ! ” laughed Gwyn ; “ says ‘ Yon ’re not going 
to humbug me again like that,’ as plain as a dog can 
speak.” 

“Well, it’s too bad,” said Joe. “Think of the boy 
who cried 4 Wolf !’ Some day when you want him he 
won’t come.” 

“ Oh, yes, he will. Grip knows me. Come here, old 
man ! ” 

The dog sprang to him, rose on his hind legs, and put 
his fore paws on his master’s hands. 

“ Only a game, was it, Grippy ? You understand your 
master, don’t you ? ” 

The dog gave a joyous hark. 

“ There ! Says he does.” 

‘‘Don’t fool about; I want to talk to you,” said Joe 
sternly. 

“All right, old lively. How was the governor this 
morning? You look as if you’d taken some of his 
physic by mistake. Now, Grip, how are your poor 
legs ? ” 

“ Ahow-w-w ! ” howled the dog, throwing up his 
muzzle and making a most dismal sound. 

“Feel the change in the weather?” 

A hark. 

“Do you, now? But they are quite strong again, 
arn’t they?” 

“ How-how-w-w ! ” yelped the dog. 

“ Here, what made you begin talking about that ? ” 

“ What ? His broken legs ? ” 

“Yes.” 


AFTER A LAPSE. 


389 


“ Pride, I suppose, in our cure. Or nonsense, just to 
tease the dog. He always begins to howl when I talk 
about his legs. Don’t you, Grip ? Poor old cripple, 
then.” 

“ Ahow ! ” yelped the dog. 

“ Why did you ask ? ” 

“ Because it seemed curious. I say, Gwyn, I believe 
I did that man an injustice.” 

“ What man an injustice ? ” said Gwyn, who was pre- 
tending to tie the dog’s long silky ears in a knot across 
his eyes. 

“ Tom Dinass.” 

The dog bounded from where he stood on his hind 
legs resting his fore paws on his master’s knees, and burst 
into a furious fit of barking. 

“ Hark at him ! ” cried Gwyn. “ Talk about dogs be- 
ing intelligent animals. It ’s wonderful. He never liked 
the fellow. Hi ! Tom Dinass there ! Did he break your 
legs, Grip?” 

The dog barked furiously and ended with a savage 
growl. 

“ Just like we are,” said Gwyn ; “ like some people and 
hate others. I begin to think you were right, Joe, and 
he did do it.” 

“ Oh, no, impossible ! ” 

“Well, it does n’t matter. He ’s gone.” 

“No, he has not,” said' Joe quietly; “he has been 
hanging about here ever since he left six months ago.” 

“ What ! I ’ve never seen him.” 

“I have, and he has spoken to me over and over 
again.” 

“ Why, you never told me.” 


840 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


44 No, but I thought a good deal about it.” 

44 What did he say to you ? ” 

44 That it was very hard for a man who had done his 
best for the mine to be turned away all of a sudden, just 
because Sam Hardock and the men hated him.” 

44 He would n’t have been turned away for that. But, 
as father said, when a man strikes his superior officer 
he must be punished, or there would be no discipline in 
a corps.” 

44 1 daresay Sam Hardock exasperated him first.” 

44 Well, you often exasperate me, Jolly, but I don’t 
take up a miner’s hammer and knock you down.” 

44 No,” said Joe, thinking in a pensive way; 44 you ’re 
a good, patient fellow. But he said it was very hard for 
a man to be thrown out of work for six months for get- 
ting in a bit of temper.” 

44 Bit of temper indeed ! I should think it was. Why, 
he was murderous. Why don’t he go and get taken on 
at some other mine ? There are plenty in Cornwall, and 
he ’s a good workman. Let him go where he is n’t 
known, and not hang about here.” 

44 He says he has tried, and he wants to come back.” 

44 And you and me to put up a petition for him ? ” 

44 Yes, that’s it.” 

44 Then we just won’t, will we, Grip ? We don’t 
want any Tom Dinass here, do we?” 

The dog growled furiously; 

44 Don’t set the dog against him, Ydoll. I did charge 
him with having done that, but he looked at me in a 
horrified way, and said I couldn’t know what I was 
saying, to charge him with such a thing. He said he ’d 
sooner cut his hand off than injure a dog like that.” 


AFTER A LAPSE. 


341 


“And we don’t believe him, do we, Grip? Why, 
you’ve quite changed your colors, Jolly. You used to 
be all against him, and now you ’re all for, and it ’s I 
who go against him.” 

“ But you don’t want to be unjust, Ydoll.” 

“Not a bit of it. I ’m going to be always as just as 
Justice. There, let ’s get to work again. I’ve a lot of 
letters to write.” 

“ One minute, Ydoll. I want you to oblige me in 
something.” 

“ If it ’s to borrow tuppence, I can’t.” 

“ Don’t be stupid. I ’ve spoken to father about Tom 
Dinass.” 

The dog growled furiously. 

“ There, you ’ve set him off. Quiet, sir ! ” cried Gwyn. 
“ It ’s your doing. You worry the dog into barking like 
that. But, look here. Father said he did not like to see 
men idle and that T — you know who — had been well 
punished, and he would consent if the colonel agreed. 
So I want you to help me.” 

“I can’t, Jolly, really.” 

“Yes, you can, and you must,” said Joe, glancing 
uneasily toward the door; “for I told him he might 
come and see the colonel ; and, if we ask him, I ’m sure 
he ’ll give way. Say you ’ll help me.” 

“ I can’t, old man.” 

“Yes, you can, and will. Let’s be forgiving. I told 
him he might come and see you and talk as he did to me, 
and it ’s just his time. Yes ; there he is.” 

There was a step at the outside, and J oe went quickly 
to the door. 

“Come in, Tom,” said Joe. 


842 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


The man, looking very much shattered and humble, 
came in, hat in hand. 

“ Mornin’, sir,” he said softly. Then his eyes seemed 
to flash fire, and with a savage look he threw out his 
arms, for with one furious growl the dog leaped at him 
and fastened upon the roll of cotton neckerchief which 
was wrapped about his throat. 


TOM DIN ASS SHOWS HIS TEETH. 


343 


CHAPTER XLIV. 

TOM DINASS SHOWS HIS TEETH. 

Gwyn sprang from his seat, dashed at the dog, and 
caught him by the collar. 

44 Grip ! Down ! ” he roared. 44 Let go — let go ! ” 

He dragged at the furious beast, while Dinass 
wrenched himself away. Then there was a struggle, 
and Gwyn roared out: 

44 Open the door, Joe. Quick ! I can’t hold him.” 

The door was flung open, and with the dog fighting 
desperately to get free, Gwyn hung on to the collar, 
passed quickly, and dragged the dog after him right out 
of the office, then swung him round and round, turning 
himself as on a pivot, let go, and the animal went fly- 
ing, while, before he could regain his feet, Gwyn had 
darted inside and banged to the door, standing against 
it, panting. 

44 1 don’t think you need want to come back here, 
Master Tom Dinass,” he cried. 

Bang ! 

The dog had dashed himself at the door and now stood 
barking furiously till his master ran to the window and 
opened it. 

44 Go home, sir ! ” he roared, but the dog barked and 
bayed at him, raised his feet to the sill, and would have 
sprung in had not Gwyn nearly closed the sash. 44 Go 


844 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


home, sir ! ” he shouted again, and after a few more 
furiously given orders, the dog’s anger burned less 
fiercely, and he began to whine as if protesting, and 
finall}-, on receiving a blow from a walking-cane thrust 
through the long slit between sash and window-sill, he 
uttered a piteous yelp, lowered his tail, and went off 
home. 

“ Don’t seeip to take to me somehow, Mr. Gwyn, sir,” 
said the man. “ The chaps used to set him agen me.” 

“ Are you hurt ? ” 

“No, I arn’t hurt, hut wonder he didn’t get it. Puts 
a man’s monkey up and makes him forget whose dorg it 
is.” 

“Look here, Tom Dinass,” said Gwyn quickly, “did 
you ever forget whose dog he was, and ill-use him ? ” 

“Me, Mr. Gwyn, sir? Now, is it likely?” protested 
the man. 

“ Yes, very likely if he flew at you. Did you hurt 
him that time when he was found down the man- 
engine ? ” 

“ Why, that ’s what Mr. Joe Jollivet said, sir, ever so 
long ago, and J telled him I ’d sooner have cut my right 
hand off. ’T arn’t likely as I ’d do such a thing to a 
good young master’s dog.” 

“Now, no cant, sir, because I don’t believe in it. 
Look here, you ’d better go somewhere else and get work.” 

“ Can’t, sir,” said the man bluntly ; “ and as for the 
dog, if you ’ll let me come back and tell him it ’s friends, 
he ’ll soon get used to me again. I seem to belong to 
this mine, and I couldn’t be happy nowheres else. Don’t 
say you won’t speak for a poor fellow, Mr. Gwyn, sir. 
You know I always did my work and I was always ready 


TOM DIN ASS SHOWS HIS TEETH. 


345 


to row or pull at the net or do anything you young 
gen’lemen wanted me to do. It ’s hard, sir, it is hard 
not to have a good word said for a poor man out o’ work. 
I know I hit at Sam Hardock, hut any man would after 
the way he come at me.” 

“We ’re not going to argue that,” said Gwyn firmly ; 
“perhaps there were faults on both sides, but I must 
say that I think you had better get work somewhere 
else.” 

“No good to try, sir. Some o’ the mines arn’t pay- 
ing, and some on ’em’s not working at all. Ydoll’s in 
full fettle, and you want more men. Ask the guv’nor 
to take me on again, sir.” 

“Yes, do, Gwyn,” said Joe. “It must be very hard 
for a man to want to work, and find that no one will 
give him a job.” 

“ Hard, sir ? That arn’t the word for it. Makes a 
man feel as if he ’d like to jump off the cliff, so as to be 
out of his misery. Do ask ’em, sir, and I ’ll never for- 
get it. If I did wrong, I ’ve paid dear for it. But no 
one can say I did n’t work hard to do good to the mine.” 

“ W ell, I ’ll ask my father when he comes back to the 
office.” 

“Won’t you ask him now, sir?” 

“ I don’t know where he is. And as for you, I should 
advise you not to go near my dog. I don’t want to hear 
that he has bitten you.” 

“Oh, he won’t bite me, sir, if you tell him not. We 
shall soon make friends. Do ask soon, sir, and let me 
stop about to hear and get out of my misery.” 

“You will not have to stop long, Tom Dinass,” said 
Gywn as a step outside was heard — the regular martial 


346 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


tread of the old soldier, who seemed to be so much out 
of place amongst all the mining business. 

“Yes, here comes the colonel,” said Joe quickly; 
and he went and opened the door to admit the stiff, 
upright old officer. 

“ Thank you, Jollivet,” he said. “ Halloo ! What 
does this man want ? ” 

“ He has come with his humble petition, father, backed 
up by Joe Jollivet and by me, for him to be taken on 
again at the mine.” 

“No,” said the colonel, frowning; “it is impossible, 
my boy.” 

“Beg pardon, sir, don’t say that,” said the man 
humbly. 

“ 1 have said it, my man,” said the colonel firmly. 

“But you ’ll think better of it, sir. I ’ll work hard 
for you.” 

“ No,” said the colonel ; “you had a fair chance here 
for doing well, and you failed. The men would be ready 
to strike if I took you on again.” * 

“ Oh, but you ’re not the gent to listen to what a lot 
of men says.” 

“ I am bound to in a certain way, my man. Y ou made 
yourself universally unpopular among them, and all that 
culminated in your savage assault upon the captain. 
Why, my good fellow, many a man has gone into penal 
servitude for less than that.” 

“Yes, sir, I know I hit him, but they was all agen 
me.” 

“ I cannot go into that,” said the colonel. 

“ Give him a trial, father,” said Gwyn, in answer to 
Joe’s appealing look. 


TOM DIN ASS SHOWS HIS TEETH. 


34T 


“ Do, sir. I ’ve been out o’ work a long time, and it ’s 
precious hard.” 

“ Go right away and try somewhere else, my lad.” 

“I have, sir,” said Dinass imploringly. 44 I served 
you well, sir, and I will again.” 

44 1 have no fault to find with your working, my man, 
hut I cannot reengage you.” 

44 Do, sir ; it ’s for your good.' Do take me on, sir. I 
want to do what ’s right. It is for your good, sir, 
indeed.” 

The colonel shook his head. 

44 No; I cannot alter my decision, my man,” said the 
colonel. 44 Do as I said : go right away and get work ; 
but I know it is hard upon a man to be out of work and 
penniless. You are a good hand and ought not to be 
without a job for long, so in remembrance of what you 
did” — 

44 You ’ll take me on, sir? I tell you it’s for your 
good.” 

44 No,” said the colonel sternly. 44 Gwyn, give this 
man a sovereign for his present necessities, and for 
the next few weeks, while he is seeking work, he can 
applv here for help and you can pay him a pound a 
week. That will do.” 

44 Better do what I said, sir,” said Dinass, with a grin ; 
44 look — I warn you.” 

44 1 said that will do, sir,” said the colonel firmly. 
44 Gwyn, my boy, pay him and let him go.” 

Joe’s chin dropped upon his chest, and he rested his 
hand upon the back of the nearest chair. 

Then he started and looked at the door wonderingly, 
for, scowling savagely, Tom Dinass stuck on his hat 


348 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


very much sidewise, and without pausing to receive the 
money he strode out of the place and went right away. 

“ Specimen of sturdy British independence,” said the 
colonel sternly. “ I ’m sorry, but he is not a man to have 
about the place. He is dangerous ; but when it comes 
to covert threats of what he would do if not engaged, 
one feels that it is out of the question. Be the better 
for me if I engage him means — all the worse for me if 
I do not. There, it is not worth troubling about, but if 
he comes back for the money when he has cooled down, 
let him have it.” 

“Yes, father,” said Gwyn; and he went on with his 
letters, but somehow, from time to time, the thought of 
the man’s fierce manner came back to him, and he could 
not help thinking how unpleasant a man Dinass could be 
if he set himself up as an enemy. 


CRYSTAL , BUT NOT CLEAR . 


349 


CHAPTER XLV. 

CRYSTAL, BUT NOT CLEAR. 

Tom Dinass did not come back for the money 
Colonel Pendarve had ordered to be paid him, but he 
started off the very next day as if he had shaken the 
Ydoll dust from off his feet, and made for the Plymouth 
Road. 

The news was brought to Sam Hardock at the mine 
by Harry Yores, and Sam chuckled and rubbed his 
hands as he went and told the two lads. 

“ Gone, and jolly go with him, Mr. Gwyn, sir. W e ’re 
well quit of him. I was going to warn you to keep 
Grip always with you, for I have heared say that he 
swore he ’d have that dog’s life ; but perhaps it was all 
bounce. Anyhow he ’s gone, and I ’m sure I for one 
shall feel a bit relieved to be without him.” 

Gwyn said very little, but he thought a great deal, for 
a few minutes, about how much better it would have 
been if Sam Hardock had treated Dinass with a little 
more amiability. Then he forgot all about the matter 
for three days, and then he had fresh news, for Sam 
Hardock came to him, chuckling again: 

“ It ’s all right, sir,” he said. 

“ What is — the pumping ? ” 

“ Tchah ! That ’s all right, of course, sir. I mean about 
Tom Dinass. Harry Vores’s wife has just come back 


350 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


from staying at Plymouth, and she saw Tom Dinass 
there. He won’t come back here. Do you know, sir, 
I ’ye got a sort o’ suspicion that he broke Grip’s legs.” 

“Eh? Why do you think that?” said Gwyn, start- 
ing. “ Did anybody suggest such a thing ? ” 

“No, sir, but he always hated the dog, and he might 
have done it, you know.” 

“Oh, yes, and so might you,” said Gwyn testily. 

“ Me, sir ? ” 

“Yes, or anybody else. Let it rest, Sam. Grip’s legs 
are quite well again.” 

“ That ’s what you may call snubbing a man,” said 
Hardock to himself, as he went away. “Well, he 
need n’t have been quite so chuff with a man. I only 
meant — well, I am blessed ! ” 

Sam Hardock said blessed , hut he looked and felt as 
if it were the very opposite, and he hurried back to the 
office, where Gwyn had just been joined by Joe, who 
had been back home to see how his father was getting 
on, for he was suffering from another of his fits. 

Hardock thrust his head in at the door and without 
preface groaned out : 

“ You ’d better go and chain that there dog up, sir ; ” 
and he nodded to where the animal he alluded to had 
made himself comfortable on the rug. 

“ Grip ? Why ? ” said Gwyn. 

“ He ’s back again, sir.” 

“ Who is ? ” said Gwyn, though he felt that he knew. 

“ Tom Dinass, sir. Talk about bad shillings coming 
back, why, he ’s worse than a bad sixpence.” 

“ Then it was him I saw crossing the moor toward the 
Druid Stones,” said Joe. 


CRYSTAL , BUT NOT CLEAR. 


351 


“ Then why did n’t you say so ? ” cried Gwyn sourly. 

“ Because I was n’t sure.” 

“ Never sure of anything since you ’ve grown so tall,” 
grumbled Gwyn. “No, I shan’t chain up Grip; and I 
tell him what it is : I ’m not going to interfere if the dog 
goes at him again, for he must have done something bad, 
or Grip would n’t he so fierce.” 

The dog pricked up his ears on hearing his name, and 
gave the rug a few taps with his tail. 

“ He never so much as growls at any of the other men. 
Pretty state of things if one can’t have one’s dog about 
because some man hates him. Pooh! I know, Joe.” 

“ Know what ? ” 

“ He has n’t got a job yet, and he ’s coming for the 
money father said he was to have till he got an engage- 
ment.” 

“ Did the guv’nor say that, sir ? ” cried Hardock. 

“ Yes.” 

“ Then Tom Dinass won’t never get no engagements, 
but set up for a gentleman, and I think I shall do the 
same, for work and me arn’t the best of friends.” 

“ Get out ! ” cried Gwyn, laughing ; “ why, you ’re 
never happy unless you are at work; is he, Joe?” 

“ No, he ’s a regular nuisance. Always wanting to do 
something else, and stop late in the mine wasting the 
candles.” 

“ What a shame, Mr. Joe ! ” said Hardock, grinning. 

“ It ’s quite true, Sam,” cried Gwyn. “ Done all that 
painting up of arrows on the far bit near the water- 
gallery ?” 

“ Not quite, sir ; I ’m going to have a good long day 
at it on Friday.” 


852 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“Friday’s an unlucky day,” said Joe. 

“ Not it, sir, when you want to get a job done. And I 
say, Mr. Gwyn, come down with me. There ’s a long drift 
you Ve never been in yet, where there ’s some cracks and 
hollows chock-full of the finest crystals I ever see.” 

“ Crystals ? ” cried Gwyn. 

“ In a new gallery ? ” said Joe excitedly. 

“ Well, you may call it a new gallery if you like, sir,” 
said Sam, with a chuckle, “ I calls it the oldest drift I 
was ever in.” 

“ I should like to see that,” said Joe. 

“ C6me down, then, sir ; but arn't it a bit strange that 
you ’ve taken to like going down of late ? ” 

“No; I like going down now, for it’s all strange and 
interesting in the unexplored parts when one can go 
down comfortably and not feel afraid of being lost.” 

“Nay, but you might be still, sir,” said the captain, wag- 
ging his head. “ There ’s a sight of bits yet that would 
puzzle you just as they would me. I have . got a deal 
marked with directions though, sir, and I shan’t be quite 
at rest till I ’ ve done all. Then you gents ’ll come down 
on Friday? ” 

“ Yes,” said Gwyn, “ and I ’ll bring a basket and 
hammer and chisel. Are they fine crystals ? ” 

“ Just the finest I’ve ever seen, sir. Some of ’em ’s 
quite of a sooty-black color, like peat-water.” 

“ But I don’t want to come down all that way and find 
that some one has been and chipped them off.” 

“ Chipped ’em off, sir, when I give orders that they 
were n’t to be touched ! ” said the captain fiercely. 
“ There arn’t a man as would dare to do it ’cept Tom 
Dinass, and he ’s gone. Leastwise, he was gone, and 


CRYSTAL , BUT NOT CLEAR. 


358 


has come back. They ’re all right, sir, and I tell yon 
what, if I were you gen’lemen I ’d bring down a basket 
o’ something to eat, for you ’ll be down most of the day, 
and it would n’t be amiss if you brought down some o’ 
that rhubarb and magneshy wire to light up in the crys- 
tal bit, for the roof runs up wonderful high ; it ’s natural, 
and never been cut like. Regular cave.” 

“We ’ll come, Sam. This is going to be interesting, 
Joe. We won’t forget the rhubarb wire neither.” 

“ That ’s right, sir. What do you say to d’rectly after 
breakfast, say nine o’clock, if it ’s not too soon for you, 
Friday, day after to-morrow ? ” 

“ We ’ll be there, Sam. All right down below? ” 

“ Never more regular, sir. She ’s dry as a bone, and 
the stuff they ’re getting ’s richer than ever. Only to 
think of it ! What a job I had to get the colonel to start ! 
I say, Mr. Gwyn, sir, when he ’s made his fortune, and 
you ’ve made yours, I shall expect a pension like the 
guv’nor’s giving Tom Dinass.” 

“ All right, Sam. I ’ll see that you have it.” 

“ Thank ye, sir,” said the mining captain, in all serious- 
ness ; and he left the office. 

No sooner was he gone than Gwyn turned to his com- 
panion. 

“I say, Joe,” he said, “you’d better not come.” 

“ Why not?” 

“ You ’ve grown too much lately ; you ’ll be taking all 
the skin off the top of your head, and grow bald before 
your time.” 

“Get out!” said Joe good-humoredly; “didn’t you 
hear him say that the roof was too high to see with a 
candle?” 


354 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Oh, of course,” cried Gwyn. “ Then you ’d better 
come. There must be about room enough in a place like 
that.” 

Joe laughed merrily, and then, with a serious look: 

“ I say, though,” he cried, “ I really would keep Grip 
tied up for a bit.” 

“ I shan't, not for all the Tom Dinasses between here 
and Van Diemen’s Land. I will keep him with me, 
though. I don’t want my lord to be bitten. Wonder 
whether that fellow will come soon for his money. 
We’ll shut Grip in the inner office, for we don’t want 
another scene.” 


A DOG'S OPINION. 


855 


CHAPTER XL VI. 

* 

A dog’s opinion. 

But Tom Dinass did not go to the office for his 
promised money, neither was he seen by any one, and 
Gwyn began to doubt the truth of the report till it was 
confirmed by Harry Vores, who stated that his “ Missus ” 
saw the man go into a lawyer’s office, and that there was 
the name “ Wix ” on the brass plate. 

This recalled the visit they had had from a man of 
that name. 

“ Perhaps he has dealings with mines, and can give 
people work,” thought Gwyn ; and then the matter 
passed out of his mind. 

Friday morning came, and directly after breakfast the 
two young fellows met, Gwyn provided with a basket of 
provender, his hammer, chisel, and some magnesium rib- 
bon, while Joe had brought an extra powerful oil-lantern. 

“ Ready? ” 

“Yes. I’ve told father I shall be late,” said Joe. 

“ So have I, and my mother too. Seen anything of 
Tom Dinass ? No ? ” 

“ But — oh, I say ! ” 

“Well, say it,” cried Gwyn. 

“ What about Grip ? ” 

“ Quite well, thank you for your kind inquiries, but 
he says he feels the cold a little in his legs.” 


856 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“Don’t fool,” said Joe testily. “You’re not going 
to leave tlie dog?” 

“ Why not?” 

“ Tom Dinass.” 

Gwyn whistled. 

“Soon put that right,” he said. “We’ll take him 
with us. He ’ll enjoy the run.” 

There was no doubt about that, for the dog was fran- 
tic with delight, and as soon as he was unchained he 
raced before them to the mouth of the pit, as readily as 
if he understood where they were going. 

Sam Hardock was waiting, and he rubbed his nose on 
seeing the dog. 

“ I did advise you, sir, to keep him chained up while 
there ’s danger about,” he grumbled. 

“Won’t be any danger down below, Sam,” said Gwyn 
cheerily. 

“ What ? Eh ? You mean to take him with us ? Oh, 
I see.” 

“ But won’t he get chopped going down ? ” 

“ Not if I carry him.” 

“Nay, sir,” said the man seriously, “ you mustn’t 
venture on that.” 

“ W ell, I ’m going to take him down,” said Gwyn. 

“I know,” said Joe eagerly; “send him down in the 
skep.” 

“ Ay, we might do that, sir,” said Hardock, nodding. 
“ Would he stop, sir? ” 

“If I tell him,” said Gwyn ; and, an empty skep 
being hooked on just then, the engineer grinned as 
Gwyn went to it and bade the dog jump in. 

Grip obeyed on the instant, and then, as his master 


A DOG'S OPINION. 


857 


did not follow, he whined and made as if to leap 
out. 

“ Lie down, sir. Going down. Wait for us at the 
bottom.” 

The dog crouched, and the engineer asked if he ’d 
stay. 

“ Oh, yes, he ’ll stay,” said Gwyn. Then, obeying a 
sudden impulse, he took the basket and placed it beside 
the dog at the bottom of the iron skep. “ W atch it, 
Grip ! ” he cried ; and the dog growled. “ He would n’t 
leave that.” 

“ Till every morsel ’s devoured,” said Joe. Then 
click went the brake, a hell rang, and the skep descended, 
while the little party stepped one by one on to the man- 
engine and began to descend by jumps and steps-off 
lower and lower till in due time the bottom was reached, 
where Grip sat watching the basket just inside the great 
archway, the skep he had descended in having been 
placed on wheels and run off into the depths of the 
mine, while a full one had taken its place and gone up. 

Then the party started off with their candles and the 
big lamp, first along by the tram line, after Sam Har- 
dock had peered into the big, empty sump, and then on 
and on, past where men were busy chipping, ham- 
mering, and tamping the rock to force out masses of 
ore, while before they had gone half a mile there was 
a tremendous volley of echoes which seemed as if they 
would never cease, and the party received what almost 
seemed a blow, so heavy was the concussion. 

But neither Gwyn nor Joe started, and the dog, who 
had gone ahead, merely came trotting back to look at 
his master, and then bounded off again into the dark- 


358 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


ness, as if certain that there was a cat somewhere ahead 
which ought to be hunted out of the mine. 

Familiarity had bred contempt ; and, fully aware that 
the noise was only the firing of a shot to dislodge some 
of the ore for shovelling into the iron skeps, they went 
on without a word. 

They must have been a couple of miles from the shaft, 
every turn of the way being plainly marked with a white- 
wash arrow, when Hardock stopped to trim his light, 
and his example was followed by his companions, the 
result of their halting being that Grip came trotting 
back out of the darkness to look up inquiringly, and 
then, satisfied with his examination, he hounded off 
again to find that imaginary cat. He soon came rushing 
hack, though, on finding that he was not followed, for, 
after turning to give his companions a meaning nod, 
Hardock suddenly turned down a narrow opening which 
joined, at a sharp angle, the gallery they were following, 
and then went on, nearly doubling hack over the 
ground they had traversed before continuing in a series 
of zigzags which were so confusing that, at the end of a 
few hundred yards, neither Gwyn nor Joe could have 
told the direction in which they were going. 

“Never been here before, gen’lemen,” said Hardock 
with a grin. 

“No; this is quite fresh,” said Gwyn, consulting a 
pocket-compass. “ Leads west, then.” 

“ Sometimes, sir, but it jiggers about all sorts of ways. 
Ah, there ’s a deal of the mine yet that we have n’t seen.” 

“Rises a little, too,” said Joe. 

“Yes, sir; slopes up just a little — easy ‘grajent’, as 
the big engineers call it.” 


A DOG'S OPINION. 


359 


“ But you said it was natural, and not cut out by fol- 
lowing a vein,” said Gwyn. “ There are chisel-marks all 
along here.” 

“Haven’t got to the place I mean yet, sir. Good 
half-mile on.” 

“ And farther from the shaft ? ” 

“ Well, no, sir, because it bears round to the right, and 
I ’ve found a way round to beyond that big centre place 
with the bits that support the roof.” 

“We ’ll go on, then,” said Gwyn ; “ one gets tired of al- 
ways going along these passages.” 

u Ought n’t to, sir, with all these signs of branches of 
tin lode ; I don’t.” 

“But one can have too much tin, Sam,” said Joe, 
laughing ; and they went steadily along . the narrow pas- 
sage, which grew more straight till there was only just 
room for them to go along in single file. 

“ Been getting thin here, gen’lemen,” said Hardock ; 
“ sign the ore was getting to an end. Look, there ’s sign 
where it branched off, and there, and there, going off to 
nothing, like the roots of a tree. Now, just about a hun- 
dred yards farther and you ’ll see a difference.” 

But it proved to be quite three hundred, and the way 
had grown painfully narrow and stiflingly hot, when all 
at once Grip began to bark loudly, and the noise, instead 
of sounding smothered and dull, echoed loudly, as if 
he were in a spacious place. 

So it proved, for the narrow passage suddenly ceased 
and the party stepped out into a wide chasm the walls 
and roof of which were invisible, and the air felt com- 
paratively cool and pleasant. 

“ There you are, Mr. Gwyn, sir,” said Hardock, as he 


360 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


stood holding np his light, but vainly, for beyond illu- 
mining the floor it showed nothing beyond the halo which 
it shed. “ I call this a bit o’ nature, sir. You won’t 
find any marks on the walls here.” 

“I can’t even see the walls,” said Joe. “Here, Grip, 
where are you ? ” 

The dog barked in answer some distance away, and 
then came scampering back. 

“ Oh, here ’s one side, sir,” said Hardock, taking a 
few steps to his left, and once more holding up his 
light against a rugged mass of granite veined with white 
quartz and glistening as if studded with gems. 

“How beautiful!” cried Joe. 

“ Let ’s throw a light on the subject,” said Gwyn mer- 
rily. “Open your lantern, Joe,” and as this was done 
he lit the end of a piece of magnesium ribbon which 
burned with a brilliant white light and sent up a cloud 
of white fumes which rose slowly above their heads. 

The light brightened the place for a minute, and in 
that brief interval the two friends feasted their eyes upon 
the crystal-hung roof and sides of the lovely grotto, the 
sides of which rose to about forty feet above their heads, 
and then joined in a correct curve that was nearly as 
regular as if it had been the work of some human archi- 
tect. A hundred feet away the roof sank till it was 
only two or three yards above the irregular floor and 
the place narrowed in proportion, while where they 
stood the walls were some thirty feet apart. 

Then the ribbon gave one flash and was dropped on 
the floor, to be succeeded by a black darkness out of 
which the lantern shed what. seemed to be three dim 
sparks. 


A DOG'S OPINION. 


861 


“ What do you think of it, gen’lemen ? ” said Hardock, 
from out of the black darkness. 

“ Grand ! Lovely ! Beautiful ! I never saw any- 
thing like it,” cried Gwyn. 

“ Why, it must be the most valuable part of the mine,” 
cried Joe. 

Hardock chuckled. 

“ It ’s just the part, sir, as is worth nothing except for 
show,” he said. “ It ’s very pretty, but there is n’t an 
ounce o’ tin to a ton o’ working here, sir, and ” — 

His words were checked by a faintly heard muffled 
roar which was followed by a puff of hot moist air, and 
the customary whispering sound of echoes ; but before 
they had died away Grip set up his ears, passed right 
away into the darkness, and barked with all his might. 

“ Quiet, sir ! ” cried Gwyn ; but the dog barked the 
louder. 

“Kick him, Ydoll, it’s deafening,” cried Joe. 

“Didn’t that shot sound rather rum to you?” said 
Hardock. 

“ Oh, I don’t know,” said Gwyn, who was slow to take 
alarm. “ Sounded like a shot and the echoes.” 

“Nay; that’s what it didn’t sound like,” said Har- 
dock, scratching his head. “ It was sharper and shorter 
like, and we did n’t ought to hear it like that, all this 
distance away.” 

“Isn’t the roof of the mine fallen in, is it?” said 
Gwyn maliciously, as he watched the effect of his words 
on his companions. “ You, Grip, if you don’t be quiet 
I ’ll rub your head against the rough wall.” 

“ Nay, this roof ’ll ne ver fall in, sir,” said Hardock 
thoughtfully. “ More it ’s pushed the tighter it grows.” 


362 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


“Well, let’s get some of the crystals,” said Gwyn; 
“ though it does seem a pity to break the walls of such a 
lovely place. But we must have some. Be quiet, 
Grip ! ’ 

“Let’s have some lunch first,” said Joe. 

“Nay, gen’lemen,” said Hardock, whose face looked 
clay-colored in the feeble light, “ I don’t think we ’ll 
stop for no crystals, nor no lunch, to-day, for I don’t 
want to scare you, but I feel sure that there ’s something 
very wrong.” 

“ Wrong ! What can be wrong ? ” cried Gwyn quickly. 

“That’s more than I can say, sir,” replied the man.; 
“ but we ’ve just heard something as we did n’t ought to 
hear ; and if you ’ve any doubt about it just look at that 
dog.” 

“ You ’re not alarmed at the barking of a dog? ” cried 
Gwyn contemptuously. 

“No, no, not a bit, but dogs have a way of knowing 
things that beats us. He ’s barking at something he 
knows is wrong, and it’s that which makes me feel 
afraid, though I don’t know what it is.” 


FOR LIFE. 


363 


CHAPTER XLVII. 

FOR LIFE. 

“What nonsense!” cried Gwyn, laughing. “Don’t 
you be scared by trifles, Joe. There ’s nothing wrong, 
is there, Grip ? ” 

The dog threw up his head, gazed pleadingly at his 
master, and then made for the farther opening. 

“No, mo, not that way,” cried Joe. 

“ Yes, sir, we ’ll try that way, please. It works round 
by the wet drive and the big pillared hall, as you called 
it.” 

“But look here, Sam, are you serious,” said Joe, “or 
are you making this fuss to frighten us ? ” 

“ You never knowed me try to do such a thing as that, 
sir,” said the man sternly. “ P’r’aps I ’m wrong, and I 
hope I am ; but all the same I should be glad for us to 
get to the foot of the shaft again.” 

“ Why not go to where the men are at work ? ” sug- 
gested Gwyn. “ They ’d know.” 

“ We shall take them in on our way, sir, and we won’t 
lose any time, please.* 

“ I should like to light up the place again before we 

go.” 

“No, no, sir. You can do that when you come again.” 

“ Very well,” said Gwyn, who did not feel in the 
least alarmed, but who could see the great drops stand- 


364 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


ing on the mining captain’s face. “ Lead on, then. 
Where ’s Grip ? ” 

The dog was gone. 

“ Here, hi ! Grip ! Grip ! ” cried Gwyn. 

There was a faint hark from a distance, and Gwyn 
called again, but there was no further response. 

“ He knows it’s wrong, sir,” said Hardock solemnly, 
“ so let ’s hurry after him.” 

“ Go on, then,” said Joe ; and Gwyn reluctantly fol- 
lowed them through the grotto and then along a natural 
crack in the rock which was painful for walking, being all 
on a slope ; but this soon came to an end, and they found 
themselves in another grotto, but with a low arched roof 
and lacking the crystallizations of the first. 

“You have been all along here, Sam?” said Gwyn 
suddenly. 

For answer Hardock took a few steps forward and 
held up his lantern, to display a roughly brushed white 
arrow on the wall, pointing forward. 

“ You can always tell where we ’ve been now, sir,” 
said the man. “ This bends in and out for nearly a 
quarter of a mile — now it ’s caverns, now it ’s cracks, 
and then we come again upon old workings as leads 
off by what I call one of the mine-endings. After that 
we get to the big hall and that low wet gallery. I know 
my way right through now.” 

“ But it ’s all a scare,” said Gwyn banteringly. 

“ I hope so, sir, but I feel unked-like and as if some- 
thing ’s very wrong.” 

“Think of old Grip playing the sneak,” said Joe, as 
they finally cleared the grotto-like cracks and came upon 
flooring better for walking. 


FOR LIFE. 


365 


“Nay, sir, he’s no sneak. He’s only gone to see 
what ’s the matter.” 

44 Without a light ? ” cried Gwyn. 

44 He wants no light, sir. His eyes are not like ours. 
W ould you mind walking a little faster ? ” 

44 No ; lead on, and we ’ll keep up. But how long will 
it take us to get to the foot of the shaft ? ” 

“ Two hours, sir.” 

44 So long as that ? ” 

44 Every minute of it, sir, — if we get there at all,” said 
the man to himself ; and now they walked on at a good 
steady rate, only pausing once to set up fresh candles, 
and at last came to a turn familiar to both the lads, for 
it was the beginning of the passage where they had had 
the scane from having to pass through water ; hut at the 
end farthest from that which they had come by in the 
early part of the day. 

44 Won’t go through here, Sam?” said Gwyn. 

44 Much the nighest, sir; hut we don’t want to be 
soaked. Would you mind going a little way down 
here ? ” 

44 Not I,” said Gwyn ; and the man led on, Joe follow- 
ing without a word. 

44 Don’t look like that, Jolly,” whispered Gwyn. 44 1 
suppose every one gets scared at some time in a place 
like this. It ’s Sam’s turn now. Halloo ! ” 

44 Can’t go any farther, sir,” said Hardock firmly. 
44 The water ’s right up to here, and farther on it must 
reach the roof.” 

Gwyn needed no telling, for the reflection of their 
lights was glancing from the floor, and he knew perfectly 
well that no water ought to be there. 


366 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


A chill ran through him, a sensation such as he would 
have experienced had he suddenly plunged neck deep in 
the icy water, and he turned a look full of agony at Joe, 
who caught at his arm. 

“The sea has broken in, the sea has "broken in,” he 
cried, and quick as lightning Gwyn bent down, scooped 
up some of the black-looking water and held it to his 
lips. 

It was unmistakably brackish. 

“ It can’t have broke in, my lads, it can’t,” cried Har- 
dock. “ Come on, and let ’s go round by the pillar place 
and get to the men as quick as we can. There must be 
some spring burst out, but they’ll get the pumps at 
work as soon as they know, and soon pull it down again. 
Come on ! ” . 

With their hearts beating heavily from excitement, 
the two lads followed the captain as he hurried back 
along the gallery to the spot where they had turned 
down, and then as fast as they could go they made for 
the pillared hall, expecting to find some of the men close 
by, but when they reached it, there being no sign of 
water, there was not a soul visible. There was proof 
though that it was not long since there were men there, 
for the ends of two candles were still burning where they 
had been stuck against the wall, tools were lying here 
and there, and a couple of half-filled skeps were stand- 
ing on the low four-wheeled trucks, waiting to be run 
along the little tramway to the shaft. 

No one said so, but each saw for certain that there 
must have been a sudden alarm and the men had fled. 

“Come on,” said Hardock hoarsely; but his heart 
was sinking, and Gwyn knew that there was a gradual 


FOR LIFE. 


367 


descent toward the bottom of the shaft. They walked 
rapidly on for fully half an hour before they came to 
the first trace of water, hut it was startling when 
they did. 

The gallery they were in entered the next, — a lower 
one, at right angles, — and as they reached that end dry- 
footed, their lights gleamed from the face of running 
water which was gliding rapidly by in a regular stream 
of a few inches deep. 

It Avas Joe who stooped quickly down now, to scoop 
up some of the water and taste it, which he did in 
silence. 

“ Salt ? ” said Gwyn sharply. 

There was no reply, and the lad followed his com- 
panion’s example, and tasted the water. 

“ Salt, sir ? ” said Hardock. 

“ As the sea,” said Gwyn Avith a groan. “ Ha ! good 
dog, then. Here, here, here ! Grip, Grip, Grip ! ” 

For there had been a faint barking in the distance, 
but the sounds ceased. 

“ Can we go round any way ? ” said Gwyn. 

“No, sir; we must face it,” said Hardock; “ and as 
quick as we can, for it gets lower and lower, and the water 
sets this Avay fast, so it must be rising. Ready, sir? ” 

“ Yes.” 

“ Then come on.” 

Hardock stepped doAvn into the rapid stream which 
Avas ankle-deep, the others followed, and they splashed 
rapidly along to hear the barking again directly; and 
soon after Grip, Avho must have been swimming, came 
hounding and splashing along, barking joyously to meet 
them again, and harking still more loudly as he found 


368 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


that his master was making for the way from which he 
had come. 

“ Can’t help it, old fellow. When it gets too bad for 
you, I must carry you,” muttered Gwyn, as they hurried 
along, their progress gradually becoming more painful, 
for the water soon became knee-deep and the stream 
harder to stem. 

But they toiled on till it was up to their waists and 
so swift that it began to threaten to sweep them away ; 
and after a few minutes progression in this way, with 
the water growing yet deeper, Hardock stopped at a 
corner round which the water came with a rush. 

“ It ’s down hill here, gen’lemen, all the way to the 
shaft, and, even if we could face it, the water must 
be five foot deep in another ten minutes, and round the 
next turn it ’ll be six, and beyond that the passage must 
be full.” 

“ Then we must swim to the foot of the shaft,” said 
Gwyn excitedly. 

“ A shoal of seals could n’t do it, sir,” said the man 
gruffly. “ Come back, sir ! ” he roared, for, as if to prove 
his words, the dog made a sudden dash, freed himself 
from Gwyn’s grasp, and plunged forward to swim, but 
was swept back directly, and would have been borne 
right away if Gwyn had not snatched at his thick coat 
as he passed, and held him. 

“But we must make for the shaft,” cried Joe passion- 
ately. 

“We can’t, sir ; it ’s suicide. We could n’t swim, and 
just a bit farther on, I tell you, the place must be full to 
the ceiling, and there must be eight or ten foot o’ water 
in the shaft.” 


FOR LIFE . 


869 


“Then are we lost?” cried Joe. 

“ A fellow ’s never lost as long as he can make a fight 
for it,” said Gwyn sharply. 4 Now, then, Sam, what’s 
to be done — go back?” 

“ Yes, sir, fast as we can, and make for the highest 
part of the mine.” 

“Where is that?” 

“ The water will show us,” said Hardock. “ I pray it 
may only be a hit of an underground pool hurst to flood 
us, and they’ll pump and master it before it does us 
any harm.” 

“No, no,” groaned Joe. 44 We’ve heard it beating 
overhead before, and the sea has burst in. W e ’re lost, 
we ’re lost ! ” 

44 Then, if the sea has bursted in,” cried Hardock 
fiercely, 44 it ’s that fellow Tom Dinass’s doing. He ’s a 
spite against us all, and it ’s to flood and ruin the mine.” 

44 Don’t be unreasonable, Sam,” began Gwyn — hut he 
stopped short, for, like a flash, came the recollection of 
their seeing the man go down to the point at low water, 
where they had heard him hammering in the dark. Did 
that mean anything ? W as it a preparation for blowing 
in the rock over one of the passages that ran beneath the 
sea? 

It seemed to be impossible as he thought it, but there 
was the fact of the flood rising and driving them before 
it, the waters pressing behind them as they waded on, hut 
getting shallower very slowly, till by degrees they were 
wading knee-deep, and after a time Grip could be set 
down and half-swim, half-scramble along. But that the 
waters were rising fast they had ample proof, for when- 
ever they stopped, the stream was rushing by them 


3T0 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


onward as if hastening to fill up every gallery in the 
mine. 

“ The water will show ns the highest part,” Hardock 
had said ; and they went on and on, deeper and farther 
into the recesses of the place, but with the swift stream 
seeming to chase them, refusing to be left behind, but 
ever writhing about them and leaping at their legs as if 
to drag them down. 

Grip splashed along, beside or in front, whenever 
they were in a shallow enough part, and swam when he 
could not find bottom; but at last he began to show 
signs of weariness by getting close up to his master, and 
whining. 

“Catch hold of my lantern, Joe,” said Gwyn. 

u What are you going to do ? ” 

“ What I should do for you if you felt that you could 
go no farther; what you would do for me. We’ve 
brought him down here to be safe from Tom Dinass, and 
thrown him into the danger we wanted to avoid. Here, 
come on, Grip, old chap.” 

To the surprise of his companions Gwyn knelt down 
in the w^ater, turning his back to the dog and sinking as 
low as he could, when the intelligent beast, perhaps 
from memories of old games they had had together, 
swam close up and began to scramble up on his master’s 
shoulders. 

Then Gwyn caught at the dog’s legs, dragged them 
over and rose to his feet, carrying the dog pig-a-back 
fashion, Grip settling down quietly enough and strain- 
ing his muzzle over as far as he could reach. 

Hardock said nothing but tramped on again, taking 
the lead with one lantern, Joe bringing up the rear with 


FOR LIFE . 


871 


the others, having one in each hand, while the light was 
reflected brightly from the surface of the water. 

At first the mining captain seemed to be working 
with a purpose in view, but after being compelled to 
turn back times out of number through finding the 
water deepening in the different passages he followed, 
he grew bewildered, and at last came to a stand-still 
knee-deep in a part that was wider than ordinary. 

“ I think this part will do,” he said, looking helplessly 
from one to the other. 

“Not for long, Sam.” 

“Yes, sir,” said the captain feebly; “the water isn’t 
rising here.” 

“It must be pouring into the mine like a cataract. 
Look how it’s rushing along here, and I can feel it 
creeping slowly up my legs.” 

“Yes, sir, I’m afraid you’re right. I’ve been think- 
ing for some time now that we could n’t do any more.” 

“ Whereabouts are we now ? ” 

“ I ’m not quite sure, sir, but if we go on a bit farther 
you ’ll find one of my arrows on the wall.” 

“ Come on, then,” cried Gwyn; “you lead again with the 
light. No, Grip, old chap, I can carry you,” for the dog 
made a bit of a struggle to get down. He subsided 
though directly, nestling his muzzle close to his master’s 
cheek, and they went on splash, splash, through the 
water till they reached one of the turnings. 

“ Don’t seem to be any arrow here, sir,” said Hardock, 
holding up his light. “Can’t have been washed out, 
because the water hasn’t been high enough.” 

“ But you said you had put an arrow at every turn,” 
cried Gwyn, 


372 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ Every turning I come to, sir, but I ’m sure now ; I 
was in a bit of doubt before. I have n’t been along here. 
It ’s all fresh.” 

“ Turn back, then,” said Gwyn. 

“ But the water ’s running this way, sir, and it must be 
shallower farther on.” 

“ How do you know that ? ” cried Gwyn ; “ this stream 
may be rushing on to fill deeper places.” And, as if to 
prove the truth of his theory, the water ran gurgling, 
swirling, and eddying above their legs, but evidently 
rising more and more. 

“Yes, sir, how do we know that?” said the man, 
who was rapidly growing more dazed and helpless. “ I 
don’t kinder feel to know what ’s best to be done with 
the water coming on like that. No pumping would 
ever get the better of this, and — and ” — 

He said no more but leaned his arm against the side 
and rested his head against it. 

“Oh, come, that won’t do, Sam,” cried Gwyn; “we 
must help one another.” 

“Yes, sir, of course; but wouldn’t one of you two 
young gents like to take the lead now? You, Mr. Joe 
Jollivet, you haven’t had a turn, and you’ve got two 
lights.” 

“What’s the use of me trying to lead?” said Joe 
bitterly. “ I feel as helpless as you do — just as if I 
could sit down and cry like a great girl.” 

“ Need n’t do that, Jolly,” said Gwyn bitterly ; “ there ’s 
water enough here. I ’m sure it ’s three inches deeper 
than it was. Hark ! ” 

They stood there listening to the strange murmuring 
noise that came whispering along. 


FOR LIFE. 


373 


“It’s the water running,” said Joe in awe-stricken 
tones. 

“ Y es, it ’s the water dripping, and running along by 
the walls. Why, there must he hundreds of streams.” 

“ And you ’re standing talking like that,” cried Joe 
angrily. “We know all about the streams. Do some- 
thing.” 

Gwyn stood frowning for a few moments. 

“ You lead on now,” he said, “and try again. “I’ll 
come close behind you.” 

“ But it gets deeper this way.” 

“ Perhaps only for a short distance, and then it may 
rise. Go on.” 

Joe started at once, for he felt as if he must obey, but 
before they had gone a hundred yards the water had risen 
to Gwyn’s waist. 

“ Back again,” he said ; “ it gets deeper and deeper.” 

“ Then it ’s all oyer with us, gen’lemen,” said Hardock. 
“ Tom Dinass has got his revenge against us, and it ’s 
time to begin saying our prayers.” 

“ Time to begin saying our prayers ! ” cried Gwyn 
angrily. “ I ’ve been saying mine ever since we knew 
the worst. It ’s time we began to work, and try our best 
to save our lives. Now, Joe, on again the other way, 
and take the first turning off to the left.” 

Joe obeyed, and they branched back amidst the 
whispering and gurgling sounds which came from out 
of the darkness before and behind, while now, to prove 
what was wrong, they noticed the peculiar odor of the 
sea-water when impregnated with sea-weed in a state of 
decay, and directly after Gwyn had called attention to 
the fact Joe uttered a cry. 


874 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“ What is it ? ” said Gwyn anxiously. “ Don’t drown 
the lights.” 

“ Something — an eel, I think, clinging round my 
leg.” 

“ Eel could n’t cling round your leg. He ’d hold on 
hy his teeth. See what it is.” 

“Long strands of bladder-wrack,” said Joe, after 
cautiously raising one leg from the water. , 

“No mistake about the sea bursting in,” said Gwyn. 
“Why, of course, it has done so before. Don’t you 
remember finding sand and sea-shells in some of the 
passages ? ” 

No one spoke, and finding that the efforts he had, at 
no little cost to himself, made to divert his companions’ 
attention from their terrible danger were vain, lie too 
remained silent, listening shudderingly to the wash, 
wash of the water as they tramped through it, and he 
thought of the time coming when it would rise higher 
and higher still. 

Gwyn could think no more in that way on account of 
the horror that attacked him at the thought that it meant 
that he must soon die. Once the idea came to him that 
he was watching his companions struggling vainly in the 
black water, but making a desperate effort he forced him- 
self to think only of the task they had in hand, and just 
then he shouted to Joe to turn off to the left, for another 
opening appeared and the lad was going past it with his 
head bent down. 

Joe turned off mechanically, his long, lank figure 
looking strange in the extreme, and as he swung the 
lanterns in each hand, grotesque shadows of his tall 
body were thrown on the wall on either side, and some- 


FOR LIFE. 


375 


times over the gleaming water which rushed by them, 
swift in places as a mill-race. 

Still the water grew deeper, and no more arrows 
pointed faintly from the wall. The water was more 
than waist deep now, and the chill feeling of despair was 
growing rapidly upon all. The boys did not speak, 
though they felt their position keenly enough, but Har- 
dock uttered a groan from time to time, and at last 
stopped short. 

“Don’t do that,” said Gwyn, flashing into anger for 
the moment ; but the man’s piteous reply disarmed him, 
and he felt as despairing. 

“ Must, sir, I must,” groaned the man ; “ I can’t do 
any more. You ’ye been very kind to me, Master Gwyn, 
and I ’d like to shake hands with you first and say good- 
by. Then there ’s nothing for it but to give up and let 
the water carry you away, as it keeps trying to do. 
We ’ve done all that man can do. There ’s no hope of 
getting out of the mine, so let ’s get out of our misery at 
once, for I ’m quite done.” 


376 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


CHAPTER XL VIII. 

IN DIRE PERIL. 

For a few moments, in his misery and despair, Gwyn 
felt disposed to succumb, and he looked piteously at Joe, 
who stood drooping and bent, with the bottoms of the 
lanterns touching the water. Then the natural spirit 
that was in him came to the front, and with an angry 
shout he cried: 

•“ Here, you, sir, keep those lights up out of the water. 
Don’t want us to be in the dark, do you ? ” 

There is so much influence in one person’s vitality, 
and the way in which an order is given, that Joe started 
as if he had had an electric current passed through him. 
He stood as straight up as he could for the roof, and 
looked sharply at Gwyn as if for orders. 

At the same moment the dog began to hark, and 
struggled to get free. 

“ Oh, very well,” said Gwyn, letting go of the dog’s 
legs ; “ hut you ’ll soon want to get back.” 

Down went Grip with a tremendous splash, and dis- 
appeared, hut he rose again directly and began to swim 
away with the stream, and was out of sight at once. 

“Oh, Joe, Joe, what have I done!” cried Gwyn. 
“ He ’ll he drowned, he ’ll be drowned ! ” 

“ Ay, sir, and so shall we before an hour ’s gone by,” 
said Hardock gloomily. 


IN DIRE PERIL. 


377 


“ I can’t help it, I must save him,” cried Gwyn ; and 
snatching one of the lanterns from Joe he waded off 
after the swimming dog, and he too disappeared. 

“We can’t stop here by ourselves, Sam,” cried Joe; 
“ come along ! ” 

Hardock uttered a groan. 

“I don’t want to die, Master Joe Jollivet — I don’t 
want to die ! ” he said pitifully. 

“Well, who does?” Joe replied. “What’s my 
father going to do without me when he ’s ill ? Come on ! 
They ’ll he finding the way out and leaving us here.” 

“Nay, Master Gwyn wouldn’t do that,” groaned 
lfardock. “ He ’d come back for us.” 

Gwyn’s pursuit of the dog had done one thing : it had 
started his companions into action, and they too waded 
with the stream pressing them along, till away in the 
distance they caught sight of the light Gwyn bore, 
shining like a faint spark or reflected in a pale shim- 
mering ray from the hurrying water. 

For how long they neither of them knew they fol- 
lowed on, till the light became stationary, and just then 
Hardock raised his and uttered an exclamation. 

“ I know where we are now,” he cried, as he raised 
his lantern and pointed to one of his white arrows. “ It 
looks different with the place half full of water, but 
we ’re close to that dead end that runs up.” 

Just then they heard the barking of the dog. 

“ And that ’s where he has got to,” continued Hardock. 
“ How did he come to think of going there ? ” 

“ Ahoy-y-y-y ! ” came hallooing from Gwyn, who had 
long been aware from their lights that his companions 
were following him. 


378 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


They answered and dragged their weaiy way along^ 
for the water still deepened, and in his impatience Gwyn 
came hack to meet them. 

“ Come along quickly,” he cried ; “ the dog has gone 
into that short gallery which rises up. Did you hear 
him barking?” 

“Yes.” 

“Just as if he had found a rabbit. He leaped up on 
the dry part at once, and if we follow there is plenty of 
room for us as well.” 

“Beyond the water?” panted Joe. 

“ Yes ; at the far end.” 

Trembling with eagerness they splashed through the 
now familiar way, conscious of the fact that a current of 
air was setting in the same direction — a foul hot wind 
evidently caused by the water filling up the lower por- 
tions of the mine and driving out the air ; but no one 
mentioned it then. 

The entrance of the place they sought was reached, 
and they were waist deep, the water sweeping and swirl- 
ing fiercely by. Then as Gwyn entered, lantern in hand, 
and Joe was about to folloAv, a little wave, like a tiny 
imitation of the “ bore ” which rushes up some rivers, 
came along and nearly took him off his feet, while 
Hardock, with a cry to his companions to look out, clung 
to the corner. 

Gwyn turned in time to see Joe tottering, and caught 
at his arm, giving him a sharp snatch which dragged 
him in through the low archway, where the water, 
though deep, was just eddying round like a whirlpool, 
and together they extended their hands to Hardock and 
he was dragged in. 


IN DIRE PERIL. 


379 


“ Runs along there now like a mill-race,” panted the 
man. “How did you manage, Mr. Gwyn?” 

“It was only going steadily when I followed Grip, 
and he swam in easily enough.” 

“ Must be coming in faster,” groaned Hardock. “ Oh, 
my lads, my lads, say your prayers now, and put in a word 
for me, for I have n’t been the man I ought to have been, 
and I know it now we ’re shut up in this gashly place.” 

“ Don’t, don’t talk like that ! ” cried Gwyn wildly. 

“ I must, my lad, for the water ’s rising faster, and in 
a few minutes we shall be drownded.” 

“ Then come on with the stream and let ’s find a higher 
place,” cried Joe. 

“ Nay, we ain’t got strength enough to go on. Better 
stay where we are.” 

“ Hi ! Grip, Grip, Grip ! ” cried Gwyn, holding up his 
lantern and wading farther in ; but there was no answer- 
ing bark. 

“ Come along, Sam,” said Joe hoarsely, as he opened 
his lantern door to let the water he had got in drain out. 
“ Here, look, it ’s shallower where Gwyn is.” 

“ Ay, it do rise, you see,” groaned Hardock, who was 
now completely unmanned. 

“ Come on ! ” shouted Gwyn. “ It is n’t up to my 
knees here.” 

They followed till, toward the dead end where the old 
miners had ceased working in the far-back past, the lode 
had narrowed and run up into a flattened crevice, up 
which Gwyn began to clamber. 

“ Follow me,” he said ; “I’m quite clear of the water. 
It ’s a natural crack. There has been no picking here, 
and it comes up at a steep slope.” 


380 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


He climbed on, the others following him, and he called 
to the dog again, but there was still no reply. 

“ Are you clear of the water?’’ he cried. 

“ Yes, sir, four foot above it,” said Hardock, who came 
last, “ but it ’s rising fast.” 

“ I say,” cried Gwyn wildly, “ is there a way out here ? ” 

“ Nay, sir, this is only a blind lead. What is it up 
where you are ? ” 

“Like a ‘flattened-out cave, with the rock all covered 
with tiny crystals. There must be a way up to the 
surface here: don’t you feel how the wind comes up 
by us?” 

“ Yes ; my light flickers, but it burns dull.” 

“Ay, and it will come sharper yet, sir,” said Har- 
dock; “the water’s driving it all before it. Don’t you 
feel how hot it is ? ” 

“ Yes.” 

“ Maybe it ’ll suffocate us before the water comes.” 

“ Grip, Grip, Grip ! ” shouted Gwyn ; and then, after 
waiting, he made his companions’ hearts beat by crying 
back to them loudly, “ I don’t care : there is a way out 
here.” 

“ Can’t be, sir.” 

“ But Grip has gone through.” 

“ Nay, sir, he ’s wedged himself up and he ’s dead, as 
we shall be soon.” 

“ Oh, Joe, Joe ! ” roared Gwyn passionately, “ kick out 
behind at that miserable, croaking old woman ; there is a 
way out, for I can feel the hot air rushing up by me.” 

“ Ah ! ” groaned Hardock, “ it ’s very well for you 
young gents up there, but I ’m at the bottom and the 
water ’s creeping up after me. To think that after all 


IN DIRE PERIL. 


381 


these years o’ mining I should live to be drowned in a 
crack like this ! ” 

Just then a loud rustling and scrambling noise was 
heard. 

“ What is it, Ydoll ? What are you doing ? ” 

“ There ’s a big stone here Avedged across the slope, or 
I could get higher. It ’s loose, and I think I can — 
ha ! ” 

The lad uttered an exultant shout, for, with a loud 
rattle, the flat block gave way and came rattling and 
sliding down. 

“ Got it ! ” cried Gwyn. “ I ’m passing it under me. 
Come close, Joe, and catch hold as it reaches my 
feet.” 

Joe climbed a little higher, by forcing his knees 
against the wall of the crack facing him, and, reaching 
up, he got hold of the block, and lowered it, till fearing 
that if he let go it might injure Hardock, he hade him 
come higher and pass it beneath him. 

“Nay, nay, let me be,” groaned Hardock; “it’s all 
over now. I ’m spent.” 

“ Let it fall on him to rouse him up,” shouted Gwyn. 
“You, Sam, lay hold of that stone.” 

The man roused himself, and, climbing higher over the 
ragged, sharp, prickly crystals, reached up and took hold 
of the stone, passed it under him, and it fell away down 
for a few feet, and then there was a sullen splash. 

The light showed Gwyn plainly enough 'that they 
were in a spot where a vein of some mineral, probably 
soapstone, had in the course of ages dissolved aAvay; 
and, convinced that the dog had found his way to some 
higher cavern, and in the hope that he might find room 




882 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


enough to force his way after, he scrambled and climbed 
upward foot by foot, pausing every now and then to 
shout back to his companions to follow. 

There was plenty of room to right and left. The diffi- 
culty was to find the lowest parts of the crack, the sides 
of which were exactly alike, as if the bed rock had once 
split apart, and pressure, if applied, would have made 
them join together exactly again ; and this engendered 
the gruesome thought that if that happened now, they 
would be crushed out flat. 

There was plenty of air, too, for it rushed by now in a 
strong current which made the flame of the candle in the 
lantern he pushed on before him flutter and threaten to 
go out. But the air was terribly impure, as shown by 
the dim blue flame of the candles, and so enervating that 
the perspiration streamed from the lad’s face, and a 
strange, dull, sleepy feeling came over him which he 
tried desperately to keep off. 

Roughly speaking, the crack ascended at an angle of 
about fifty degrees, turning and zigzagging after the 
fashion of a flash of lightning, the greatest difficulty 
being to pass the angles. 

Gwyn toiled on, finding that the great thing he 
dreaded, the closing-in of the sides, did not occur, but 
trembling, in the narrowest parts, on account of one who 
was to follow. 

“Joe will easily manage it,” he said to himself; “but 
Sam will stick. Time enough to think of that,” he 
muttered, “if he does.” 

“Can you get higher ?” panted Joe, after they had 
been creeping along slowly for some time. 

“Yes, yes, but there’s an awkward turn just here. 


IN DIRE PERIL . 


383 


All right, it’s wider on my left. Hurrah! I’ve got 
into quite a big part. Come on ! ” 

Joe climbed on, pushing his lantern before him till 
it was suddenly taken and drawn up, when looking 
above him with a start, he saw his friend’s face look- 
ing down upon him, sui rounded by a pale bluish glow 
of light. 

“ Want a hand?” cried Gwyn. 

“No, I can do it,” was the reply, and Joe climbed 
beyond an angle, to find himself in a sloping, flattened 
cave, whose roof was about four feet above his head. 
How far it extended the darkness beyond the lantern 
concealed. 

“ Come on, Sam,” cried Gwyn, as he looked down the 
slope he had ascended expecting to see the man’s face 
just below ; but it was not visible, and, saving the hiss- 
ing of the hot wind and the strange gurgling of rushing 
water, there was not a sound. 

“ He ’s dead ! ” cried Joe wildly. 

“No, no, don’t say that,” said Gwyn. “It’s too hor- 
rible, just when we are going to escape ; ” and without 
pausing he lowered himself over the angle of the rock 
and began to descend. 

“ Hold the light over,” he said. “ Ah, mind, or you ’ll 
have it out.” 

The candle flickered in the steady draught which 
came rushing up from the split, and it had to be drawn 
partly back for shelter. 

“ Sam! ” cried Gwyn, as he descended; but there was 
no reply, and the dread grew darker within the lad’s 
breast as he went on down into the darkness. 

“ I shall be obliged to come back for the light,” he 


884 


BENEATH THE SEA , 


shouted. “ I can see nothing down here. How far is 
he back ? ” 

“I don’t know,” cried Joe despairingly. “ I thought 
he was close behind me. Shall I come down with the 
lantern ? ” 

“ Yes, you must, part of the way, to help me. Now I 
just touch his lantern with my foot. Here he is ! ” 

“ All right ? ” faltered Joe. 

“ I think so,” replied Gwyn slowly. “ Here, Sam 
Hardock, what ’s the matter — why don’t you come 
on?” 

“ It ’s of no good,” said the man feebly. u I ’m done, 
I tell you. Why can’t you let me die in peace ? ” 

“ Because you ’ye got to help us out of this place.” 

“ I ? Help you ? ” he said wonderingly. 

“Yes; it’s your duty. You’ve no right to lie like 
that, giving up everything.” 

“ I ’m so weak and sleepy,” protested the man. 

“ So was I, but I fought it all down. Now, then, 
climb up to where he is.” 

“I — I can’t, Mr. Gwyn ; and besides it ’s too narrow 
for me.” 

“ How do you know till you try ? Come, up with you 
at once.” 

“ Must I, Mr. Gwyn, sir ? ” 

“ Yes, of course ; so get up and try.” 

Sam Hardock groaned, and began to creep slowly up 
the steep slope, Gwyn leading the way ; but at the end 
of a minute Hardock said in a feeble voice. 

“ It ’s of no use, sir. I can’t do it. I have n’t the 
strength of a rat.” 

“ Keep on, it will come,” cried Gwyn. “ Keep on, 


IN DIRE PERIL. 


385 


sir, and try. You must get to the top where Joe Jolli- 
vet. is.” 

“ No, no, let me die in peace.” 

44 Very well; when I have got you into a good dry 
place. You can’t die in peace with the cold black water 
creeping over you.” 

44 No — no,” said Hardock, with a shiver. 

44 Come on, then, at once,” cried Gwyn ; and unable to 
resist the imperious way in which he was ordered, the 
poor fellow began to struggle up the narrow rift, while 
Gwyn, keeping his fears to himself, trembled lest the 
place should prove too strait. 

Twice over Hardock came to a stand, but at a word 
from Gwyn he made fresh efforts, the energy with which 
the lad showed him the way encouraging him somewhat, 
and at last, panting and exhausted, he dragged himself 
over the last angle, and rolled over on the stony slope 
where Joe had been holding his lantern to light the dark 
passage and looking down. 

44 We can go no farther till he’s rested,” whispered 
Gwyn. 

44 No; but look how the water’s rising. How long 
will it be before it reaches up to here ? ” 

Gwyn shook his head and listened t<b the murmur of 
the rushing water, which sounded soft and distant ; but 
the rush of wind grew louder, sweeping up the cavity 
with the loud, whistling sound of a tempest. 

Gwyn rose to his knees, trimmed his light, and said, 
less breathlessly now : 

44 Let Sam rest a bit while we try and find how Grip 
went.” And he held up the light and shaded his eyes. 

There was no need of a painted white arrow to point 


386 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


the way, for the whistling wind could he felt now by 
extending a hand from where they lay in shelter ; and as 
soon as Gwyn began to creep on all-fours toward the 
upper portion of the sloping cavity in which they lay, the 
fierce current of air pressed against him as the water 
had when he was wading a short time before. 

“ Better keep the lantern back in shelter,” said Gwyn 
hastily ; “ it makes mine gutter down terribly.” 

He handed Joe the ring, and once more went on, to 
find the wide opening they had reached rapidly contract 
till once more it resembled the jagged passage through 
which they had forced their way. 

The slope was greater, though, and the way soon 
became a chimney-like climb, changing direction again 
and again, while in the darkness the wind whistled and 
shrieked by him furiously, coming with so much force 
that it felt as if it was impelling him forward. 

Still he went on climbing along the tunnel-like 
place till further progress was checked by something in 
front; and with the wind now tearing by him with a 
shriek, he felt and felt and felt above and below the 
obstacle, finding room to pass his arm beyond it readily ; 
but further progress was impossible, the passage being 
completely choked now by a block of stone which must 
have slid down from above. 


SAM HARDOCK STRIKES HIS COLORS. 387 


CHAPTER XLIX. 

SAM HARDOCK STRIKES HIS COLORS. 

Gwyn tugged and strained at the block, hoping to 
dislodge it as he had the former one, but his efforts 
were vain; and at last, with his fingers sore and the 
perspiration streaming down his face, he hacked down 
the steep chimney-like fence, satisfied that Grip must 
have made his way through the narrow aperture beneath 
one corner of the block, where the wind rushed up, but 
perfectly convinced that without the aid of tools or 
gunpowder no human being could force a way, while 
the very idea of gunpowder suggested that an explosion 
might cause the tumbling down of the rock to bury 
them alive. 

t 

“Well,” said Joe, looking up at him anxiously, with 
his face showing clearly by the open door of his lantern, 
“ can we get farther ? ” 

Gwyn felt as if he could not reply, and remained silent. 

“ You might as well tell me the worst.” 

“ I ’m going to try again,” said Gwyn hoarsely ; and 
he glanced at Hardock, who was lying prone on the 
rock with his face buried in his hands. “The way’s 
blocked up.” 

“ Then we shall have to lie here till the water comes 
gurgling up to fill this place and drown us, if we are not 
smothered before.” 


388 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“We can’t be smothered in a place where there is so 
much air.” 

“I don’t know,” said Joe thoughtfully, his feeling of 
despair seeming to have deadened the agony he had felt. 
“ I ’ve been thinking it out while you were grovelling up 
there like a rat, and I think that the air will soon be all 
driven out of the mine by the water. Ugh, hark at it 
now ! How it comes bubbling and racing up there ! If 
you put your head over the edge of the rock there, it ’s 
fit to blow you away and it smells horribly. But can’t 
you get any farther up ? ” 

“No, not a foot. Go up and try yourself.” 

“No,” said Joe slowly. “A bit ago I felt as if. I 
could do anything to get out of this horrible place, but 
now I ’m fagged out like Sam Hardock there, and don’t 
seem to mind much a.bout it except when I think of 
father.” 

“ Don’t talk like that,” said Gwyn passionately. “ I 
can’t bear it. Here, we must do something ; it ’s so cow- 
ardly to lie down and die without trying to get out. 
You go up there, and perhaps you will do better than I 
did.” 

“ No ; you tried, and you ’re cleverer than I am.” 

“No, I ’m not. You try. You shall try,” cried Gwyn 
with energy. “ Go up at once. Stop. Let ’s put up a 
fresh candle.” 

“ It ’s of no use, you can’t. I ’ve been trying.” 

“ Joe ! Don’t say there are no more candles.” 

“ W as n’t going to. There ’s one, but the wick ’s 
soaked and it won’t burn.” 

Gwyn snatched at the candle, examined the blackened 
and sodden wick, and then turned it upside down, hold- 


SAM HARDOCK STRIKES IIIS COLORS. 389 


ing the bottom end close to the flame of his own light, 
and letting the grease drip away till the wick was ex- 
posed and gradually began to burn. 

“ I should never have thought of doing that,” said 
Joe calmly, as he lay on his chest resting his chin upon 
his hands. 

“ There ! ” cried Gwyn, sticking up the fresh candle on 
the tin sconce, and waiting till the grease around it had 
hardened. “ Now you go on up, and see what you can do. 
Keep the door side of the lantern away from the wind.” 

“Must I go?” said Joe dolefully. 

“Yes, if you want to see the poor major again.” 

“ Ah ! ” sighed Joe, and taking the lantern he crawled 
up to where Gwyn had been, while the latter searched 
eagerly round to try and find out some other opening. 
But saving that by which they had come, and up which 
the shrieking, roaring, and gurgling increased in inten- 
sity, and sounded as if some writhing mass of subterra- 
nean creatures were fighting their way through the dark 
passage to escape from the' flood, there was not the 
smallest crack; and he turned again to where Joe was 
passing out of sight, his boot-soles alone visible as he 
slowly crawled up the narrow chimney-like place. 

Then they disappeared, and Gwyn turned to where 
Hardock was lying on his face. 

“ Sam,” he said. 

There was no reply. 

“ Sam ! ” he cried, with a touch of fierceness in his 
voice ; and the man slowly raised his face and gazed at 
him reproachfully. 

“ Might let me die in peace,” he groaned. 

“You rouse up and try and help us,” said Gwyn 


890 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


firmly, and his will being the stronger, the man began to 
raise himself slowly into a sitting position, shuddering 
as he listened to the furious hurricane of sounds which 
came up the narrow rift. 

44 It ’s only a noise, Sam,” said Gwyn. 44 1 say, there 
has never been any mining done np here, has there ? ” 

44 Never, sir. It’s all natural rock. Look at the 
crystals.” 

44 That ’s what I thought. But look up there at Joe.” 

44 Eh ? Where ’s Mr. Joe Jollivet ? ” 

44 Clambering np that hole where Grip must have gone. 
He must have got np to the surface.” 

Hardock shook his head. 

44 Why not?” continued Gwyn eagerly. 44 The wind 
rushes up there.” 

44 Ay, but wind will go where even a mouse couldn’t.” 

44 But if Grip had n’t got up there, he ’d have come 
hack.” 

44 If he could, sir, if he could. But don’t, don’t ask 
me questions. I ’m all mazed-like, and can’t think or 
do anything. I only want to go to sleep, sir, out of 
it all — never to have any more of this horror and 
trouble.” 

44 Look here, Sam,” continued Gwyn ; 44 this noise of 
the wind coming up means the water filling up the pas- 
sages and driving it out, does n’t it? ” 

44 1 s’pose so, sir.” 

44 How long will it be before the mine is quite full of 
water ? ” 

“Who knows, sir? ’Pends on how big the hole is. 
Maybe hours, for it ’s a vasty great place ; miles of work- 
ings.” 


SAM HARDOCK STRIKES HIS COLORS . 391 


“ Then the water won’t come up to us till the pas- 
sages are all full.” 

“No, sir, and maybe not come to us at all. We may 
be too high.” 

“Too high? Of course. If we’re above sea level 
now, it won’t reach us.” 

“No, sir. You see the mouth of the mine’s quite 
two hundred feet above sea level ; the workings are all 
below.” 

“ Then we may escape yet ? ” 

“ Escape, sir ? ” said Hardock despairingly. “ How ? ” 

“ Grip has gone up to grass.” 

“ Ay, perhaps he ’s escaped,” said Hardock dismally. 

“And if he has, do you think he will not bring us 
help ? Why, it may come any time.” 

“Yes, to the hole he got out of, and it’ll take five 
years to dig down through the solid rock to get us out. 
Nay, Master Gwyn, you may give it up. We ’re as good 
as dead.” 

A faint sound, half groan, half cry, arrested them ; and 
Gwyn hurried to the hole up which Joe Jollivet had 
crawled. 

“ What is it ? Can you get by ? ” 

“No, no,” came back faintly, the words being half 
drowned by the noise of the wind. “ Stuck fast.” 

“ Oh, why did he grow so long and awkward ! ” mut- 
tered Gwyn. “ Here, Joe, turn round a bit and try and 
come back on your side.” 

“ Been trying hard, and I can’t come back.” 

Gwyn’s heart sank and he hesitated for a few mo- 
ments, till the piteous word “ Help ! ” reached his ears, 
when he crept into the hole, leaving his lantern burning 


392 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


outside sheltered from the current of air which rushed to 
the outlet, and began to crawl up as fast as he could. 

“ Help ! ” came again. 

“Coming. You must turn.” 

u Can’t, I tell you. Oh, Ydoll, old fellow, it ’s all 
oyer now, I — ah ! ” 

Then there was a wild cry that petrified Gwyn, just as 
he was nearing the place where Joe had managed to 
wedge himself, for it might have meant anything. 

Then came relief, for Joe cried exultantly : 

“ My arm wedged round the block of stone. I ’ve got 
it out.” 

It was Gwyn’s turn to cry “ Ah ! ” now in the relief 
he felt ; and for a few minutes he lay listening to the 
peculiar rustling noise beyond him, unable to stir. But 
he was brought to himself by a kick on the crown of his 
head, and began to back away from his companion’s feet 
as fast as he could, hacking out at last to find Sam Har- 
dock kneeling by the hole, lantern in hand, looking 
utterly despondent. 

“It’s no good, my lad,” he said, with a groan. 
“ What ’s the use o’ punishing yourself in this way. 
You ought to know when you ’re heat.” 

“That’s what Englishmen never know, Sam,” cried 
Gwyn. 

“ Ay, so they say, sir, so they say ; hut we are heat 
now.” 

The appearance of Joe’s hoots put an end to their 
conversation, and a few minutes after he turned his face 
to them, looking ghastly in the yellow light of the lan- 
terns. 

“ Thought I was going to die caught fast in there,” 


SAM HARDOCK STRIKES HIS COLORS. 393 


he said, with a sob. “ Oh, Ydoll, it was horrible. You 
can’t think how bad.” 

“ Lie down for a bit and rest,” said Gwyn gently, for 
the poor fellow was quite hysterical from what he had 
gone through, and without a word he obeyed, lying per- 
fectly still save when a shudder shook him from head to 
foot and he clung fast to Gwyn’s hand. 

“ Do you think you could do any good by trying ? ” 
said Gwyn at last. 

“Me, sir?” said Sam. “No, I’m too big. I should 
get stuck fast.” 

“No, there’s room enough. He got himself fixed by 
wedging his arm in beyond the stone.” 

“ Yes, that was it,” sighed Joe ; and, to the surprise of 
both, Hardock picked up his lantern, crawled to the hole, 
thrust it in, and followed, while the two lads lay listen- 
ing to the rustling sounds he made, half drowned by the 
shrieking and whistling of the wind. 

In about a quarter of an hour he backed out, drawing 
his light after him. 

“ It ’s of no use, my lads,” he said ; “ we may shake 
hands now, for we Ve done all that we can do. I ’ve 
been trying hard at that stone, but it ’s wedged in fast. 
A shot o’ powder might drive it out, but our hands arn’t 
powder, nor dynamite neither, and we may give it up.” 

No one spoke, and they lay there, hour after hour, 
utterly exhausted in mind and body, while their clothes 
began slowly to dry upon their bodies. The rush of 
wind and the gurgle of water went on as if it were boiling 
violently, and something very like sleep overtook them, 
and they did not move. 

From time to time Gwyn bent over one or the other 


394 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


of the lanterns to see to the candles, his one great dread 
being now lest they should sink into a deep stupor, and 
come to finding that they were in the dark. 

Then suddenly, after lying down for some time trying 
to imagine that it was all some terrible dream, there was 
a quick, short hark, and, unable to hear this, the lad 
uttered a wild cry, and then, from the terrible tension 
being taken so suddenly from off his nerves, he burst 
into a hysterical fit of laughter. 

The next moment Grip was licking at his face, follow- 
ing it up by the same endearment bestowed upon the 
other two, and then bursting into a prolonged fit of 
barking. 


NEWS FROM GRASS. 


395 


CHAPTER L. 

NEWS FROM GRASS. 

“ Ydoll ! Ydoll ! Look ! look ! ” cried Joe suddenly. 
“ Here, Grip, Grip ! Quick ! ” 

But Gwyn had seen and caught at the dog’s collar as 
soon as Joe had shouted to him ; and as rapidly as his trem- 
bling fingers would allow, he untied the string which 
bound a white packet to the ring in the dog’s collar. 

It was a note written in pencil, the words large and 
easy to read ; but they seemed to sail round before the 
lad’s eyes, and minutes had elapsed before he could 
read, in his father’s bold hand: 

Try and keep a good heart. Grip has shown us the 
way,- and please God we ’ll reach you before many hours 
have passed. Tie a handkerchief to the dog’s collar if you 
get this, and are all well. Send him back at once. 

Arthur Pendarve. 

A strange sobbing sound escaped from Gwyn’s lips 
as, with trembling hands, he tied his pocket-handkerchief 
tightly to the dog’s collar. 

“Now, Grip ! ” he cried, in a husky voice which did 
not sound like his own ; and the dog, who was standing 
panting, with his tongue out and curled up at the tip, 
uttered an eager bark. “ Home ! home ! ” cried Gwyn ; 


396 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


and the dog made for the hole, dashed in and disap- 
peared, while his master crept away into the darkness of 
the lowest part of the long, sloping, grotto-like place, and 
half an hour must have passed before he joined the 
others and lay down close to the hole where Grip had 
disappeared. 

They had no idea of how the time passed, and they 
could not speak, for their hearts were too full. Words 
did not come till they heard a fresh barking, and the 
dog came scuffling out of the opening into the light, 
this time with the colonel’s large flask tied to his collar, 
and stood panting while it was untied. 

It was one of the large, flat, leather-covered bottles, 
with a silver screw top and silver cup, which slipped 
on to the bottom ; and now, for the first time awaking 
to the fact that he was in a fainting condition, Gwyn 
slipped off the cup, unscrewed the top, and poured out 
some of the contents of the bottle, handing the cup to 
Hardock, who shook his head. 

“ Nay, sir,” he said. “ I ’ll wait till we get out. I ’m 
a tot’ler.” 

Gwyn handed the silver cup to Joe, who tasted it. 

“ Eggs and milk,” he cried, and drank the contents 
with avidity before returning the cup. 

“Now, Sam,” said Gwyn, refilling the cup. 

“ Ay, I don’t mind that, sir,” said Hardock ; “ and I 
was thinking I was a bit too particklar when it was sent 
to save our lives. Ha! That’s good,” he added, as 
he drained the cup. “ Sorry I can’t wash it out for you, 
sir. Shall I go down to the water ? ” 

“ No, no, I don’t mind drinking after you,” said Gwyn 
as he tremblingly poured out his portion, which was less 


NEWS FROM GRASS. 


397 


than the others had been ; and he too drank the most 
grateful draught he had ever had, while the dog, who 
had crouched, placed his head on his master’s knee, and 
looked about him with all a dog’s reverence and affec- 
tion for his master. 

There was no note this time. 

The flask was refastened to the dog’s collar, and he 
was sent back, and then the prisoners lay listening to 
the rushing and gurgling of the water, wondering how 
long it would take to reach them, for Hardock had 
been down, to find that it had ascended the cavity for 
some distance ; but he expressed his belief that it would 
be hours before it would reach them, and the conse- 
quence was that, heartened by the prospect of escape, 
utterly exhausted mentally and bodily as they were, 
Nature came to their aid, and they all dropped off into 
a deep sleep. 

Gwyn was the first to awaken many hours later, to 
find all in darkness, and fight alone through the strange 
feeling of confusion in which he was. But once more 
Grip came to his help, for no sooner had his master 
begun to move than he burst out barking loudly. 

This woke the others, equally confused and startled at 
being in the darkness, while the hoise of the wind roar- 
ing through the cavity sounded appalling. 

Gwyn’s first effort to light a match was a failure, but 
the second within the shelter of a lantern succeeded, and 
a fresh candle was finally lit. 

By this they found that Grip was the bearer of 
another note, and in addition a packet which upon being 
opened was found to contain paper and a pencil. 

The note was very brief, stating tersely that efforts 


398 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


were being made to enlarge the way through which the 
dog had come up, and asking for information regarding 
their state. 

This was furnished as well as the- circumstances 
would allow, Joe holding the light, while after placing 
the card on the smoothest place he could find, Gwyn 
wrote the answer, the principal point he emphasized 
being that they were safe so far, but the water was 
rising and they had nearly come to the end of their 
candles. 

Even as he wrote there was a cheering sound heard 
through the whistling of the wind — a sharp, clear clink 
as of hammer and chisel upon stone. 

“ Hark ! Do you hear ? ” cried J oe wildly ; “ they are 
coming down to us. Oh, work, work hard before the 
water comes ! ” 

He shouted this in a wildly frantic way, and then 
watched eagerly while Gwyn tied the card in a handker- 
chief and secured it to the dog’s collar, Grip going off 
directly as if he quite understood the business now. 

This done Joe and Hardock lay down close to the ori- 
fice and listened to the clinking of the hammers, trying 
the while to imagine what kind of passage existed beyond 
the wedge-like block of stone ; and calculated how long 
it would be before they were rescued. But that was all 
imagination too, for there was nothing to base their cal- 
culations upon. 

Meanwhile, Gwyn was more matter of fact : he took 
the lantern and descended to where the water had risen, 
and there, clinging with one hand, he held the light 
down to gaze with a felling of awe at the bubbling sur- 
face, which was in a violent state of agitation, looking as 


NEWS FROM GRASS. 


399 


if it were boiling. Every now and then it was heaved 
up and then fell back with a splash. 

Gwyn’s object in descending the sharp slope had been 
to make a mark upon the rock with his knife just at the 
level of the water, and then try and scratch other marks 
at about a foot apart so as to descend again and see how 
much higher the water had risen. 

This seemed to be impossible, for the level was 
always changing, the water running up several feet at 
times and then descending, playing up and down evi- 
dently as the pressure of the confined air increased or 
sank. 

Still he made some marks and then returned to the 
others to join them in listening. 

But this proved weary work, for it was only at times 
that they could hear the sound of the hammer, for the 
current of air seemed to bear it away, while when by 
chance the sounds did reach their earn they were most 
tantalizing, at one time seeming very near, and at others 
so faint that they felt that the work going on must 
be very distant. 

The dog came back with food and lights and stayed 
with them, now trotting to the opening to bark at the 
sounds, and at times standing at the edge of the lower 
cavity to bark fiercely at those from below, while his 
ears and the thick wolf-frill about his neck were blown 
down by the fierce current of air. 

So the time went on, first one and then the other 
descending to find that the water was steadily rising, 
and after each examination there was a thrill of dread 
as the looker asked himself would the water win the race. 

How long was it? Was it night now, or day? 


400 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


Questions these which they could not answer, and at 
last, with their miserable state of despondency increas- 
ing, they lay half-stupefied, listening for the help which 
as the hours wore slowly by seemed as if it would never 
come. 

The end was unexpected when it did come, after what 
in its long-drawn agony seemed like a week. Gwyn 
had sent a message by the dog imploring for news, for 
he said the water was very close to them now, as it was 
lapping the top of the cavity and every now and then 
brimming over and slowly filling the bottom of the 
sloping cavern. 

All at once, heard plainly above the rush of the air 
and apparently close at hand, there was the loud striking 
of hammers upon stone. 

Gwyn thrust his head into the opening at once and 
shouted, his heart bounding as a hollow-sounding cheer 
came back from just the other side of the wedge. 

“Who is it?” cried Gwyn, with the despondency 
which had chilled him taking flight. 

“Yores,” came back. Then, “Look here, sir! I 
can’t break through this stone. I ’ve no room to move 
and strike a blow. How far can you get away from 
it?” 

“ About sixty feet,” said Gwyn, after a few moments’ 
thought. 

“ Any place where you can shelter from flying 
stones ? ” 

“ Oh, yes, several.” 

“ Then I ’m going back for a cartridge, and I shall 
put it under the stone, light a fuse, and get away. It 
must be blasted.” 


NEWS FROM GRASS. 


401 


“ But you ’ll blow the roof down and stop the way.” 

“ No fear of that, sir. If I do, it will only be in pieces 
that we can get rid of at this end and you at that. It 
must be done : there ’s no other chance.” 

“ Is there plenty of room out your way ? ” 

“ Sometimes. Here and there it ’s a close fit to get 
through. I ’ve been nearly fast more than once. Now, 
then, I ’m going back.” 

“ Must you go ? ” said Gwyn mournfully. 

“ Yes, but I ’ll soon be back. Keep a good hea'rt, and 
we ’ll soon have you out now.” 

“ Is my father there ? ” 

“ Yes, sir, and your mother too.” 

Gwyn’s emotion choked his utterance for a time. 
Then he spoke, but no answer came, and the feeling of 
loneliness and despair that came over him was horrible. 

He backed out and repeated the conversation, Joe 
giving a faint cheer and Hardock shaking his head. 

“ He may bury us alive,” he said ; “ but the smoke 
and damp can’t hurt us, for this wind will sweep it all 
out at once. How long will he be ? ” 

It seemed quite an hour before Gwyn, who had crept 
right up the hole till he could touch the stone, heard any 
sound and then it came all at once when he was begin- 
ning to lose hope again. 

The sound was the tap of a hammer upon stone, so 
near that he felt the jar. 

“ Mr. Gwyn, sir,” came from close by. 

“Yes, here.” 

“ I ’ve got the cartridge and I ’m going to wedge it 
under the stone ; but it ’s going to be a hard job to light 
the match in this strong wind. Now you go back, and 


402 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


when you ’re all safe I ’ll do my work and get safe too, 
for it will be like a great cannon going off at both ends 
at once. How long will it take you?” 

“ Two minutes,” said Gwyn. 

“ I ’ll count ’em then, and then begin.” 

Gwyn shuffled back, gave his news, and the trio of 
prisoners crept behind angles of the cavern, Gwyn taking 
the light, and then they waited what seemed to be an 
hour, with the conclusion growing that Yores had been 
unable to light the fuse and had gone back. 

“ Sam ! ” shouted Gwyn at last. 

“ Ay, ay, sir.” 

“ You both stay where you are. I ’m going to crawl 
up to the mouth of the hole and speak to Vores.” 

“Nay, stay where you are,” cried Hardock. “It may 
be an hour before the charge is fired. We don’t know 
what trouble he has got to get it to ” — 

A deafening roar broke Hardock’s speech in two ; and 
to Gwyn it seemed as if the roof had suddenly come 
down upon them. He felt as if he had received a violent 
blow on both ears at once. Then, in a dull, distant way, 
he heard pieces of stone rattling, and there was perfect 
silence, the wind had ceased to roar and whistle, and 
Gwyn began to struggle, for he felt as if a hand had 
suddenly constricted his throat, and he knew he was 
suffocating. 

The next moment there was a rush and roar again, the 
air that had been compressed and driven back rebounded, 
as it were, rushing through the upper cavity, and Gwyn 
felt that he could breathe again. 

“Where are you?” cried Hardock; and now Gwyn 
realized that the explosion had put out the light. 


NEWS FROM GRASS. 


403 


“Here. Where ’s Joe Jollivet? ” 

“ I ’m here,” panted the lad. “ I could n’t breathe for 
a bit. Think the stone ’s blown away ? ” 

“ I ’m going to feel,” replied Gwyn. “ Here ! ” he 
cried excitedly ; “ the floor ’s covered with pieces of 
broken stone ; but I can’t find my way. Yes, all right ; 
I can feel the way in.” 

“ Mind you don’t get wedged in with the bits, my 
lad,” cried Hardock excitedly. “ Here, let me go 
first.” 

“No,” said Gwyn, “I’m” — 

His next words were not heard, for his head and 
•shoulders were in the cavity, and his voice was swept 
on before him ere he could say, as he intended, “ I shall 
soon be back.” 

There was no risk of getting himself wedged, how- 
ever, for the explosion had swept everything before it, 
and he crept on and on till his heart gave a bound, for 
he realized that he must have passed the spot where the 
stone had wedged up the orifice, and the way to life and 
light was open. 

“ Ahoy ! ” he shouted with all his might, and 
“ Ahoy ! ” came from a distance, for the wind which was 
whistling by him drove the answer back. But in 
another minute, as he extended his hand to feel his way 
along, he touched something warm in the darkness, and 
his hand was seized. 

That warm grasp, which meant so much to the lad, 
acted upon him like the discharging-rod of the electri- 
cian upon a Leyden jar. In an instant his energy 
seemed to have left him, and he lay prone in the narrow 
way, only half-conscious of being very slowly dragged 


404 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


over rough stone for some time before the dizzy, helpless 
sensation passed off, and he struggled slightly. 

“ Let go,” he cried. “ I must go back and tell them.” 

“No, my lad, I’ll do that,” said a familiar voice. 
“ There ’s room to pass here. Think you can go on 
crawling up now?” 

“Yes — yes, I ’m all right. Did I faint ? ” 

“I suppose so, sir. Wait a moment.” There was a 
moment ’s pause, and then Gwyn heard the words 
bellowed out : “ All clear ! Got to them ! Coming 

out!” 

There , was a murmur at a distance, and then Yores 
spoke again : 

“I’m coming by you now. Are the others strong 
enough to come ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Gwyn faintly, for Iris heart was heating 
strangely now, just when he felt that he ought to be at 
his strongest and best. 

“You there, Ydoll ?” came loudly. 

“Yes, all right,” cried Gwyn. “Where’s Sam Har- 
dock ? ” 

“ Crawling up after me,” came more loudly. 

“Then I must go back,” said Yores. “P’r’aps I’d 
better lead, Mr. Gwyn.” 

“ Yes, yes, go on, and we ’ll follow,” said Gwyn more 
faintly ; and he felt the man pass him again, there being 
just room. 

“Must go slowly,” said Yores, “because there’s no 
room to turn for another fifty yards or so. Going back- 
ward takes time. Now, then, come on, all on you ! ” 

Once more Gwyn’s dizzy feeling came back, but he 
struggled on, conscious that his rescuer was close 


NE WS FROM GRASS. 


405 


to liim — so close that at times their hands touched. 
Then, after what seemed to be a long, nightmare-like 
journey, the man’s words sounded clearer on his ears : 

“ It ’s wider here. Goes zigzagging along with one 
or two close nips, and then we ’re out to the crack in the 
cliff.” 

Gwyn did not reply. He felt that if he spoke his 
words would be wild and incoherent, and that all his 
strength was required to crawl along this terrible crevice 
in the rock. He was conscious of a hand touching his 
foot from time to time, and of hearing voices, and of 
passing over loose small pieces of shattered rock which 
might have resulted from the explosion. 

At last, after what seemed to be a terrible distance, a 
voice said, “ Out of the way, dog,” and directly after, a 
cold wet nose touched his brow and there was a snuffing 
sound^ at his ear, followed by a joyous barking. Then 
gradually all grew more dense and dark in his brain, and 
the next thing he remembered was being touched by 
hands and feeling the contraction of a rope about his 
chest, followed by a burst of cheering which seemed to 
take place far away down in the mine, for the roaring 
and whistling of the wind had ceased so that he could 
hear distinctly that hurrahing ; and then he heard noth- 
ing, for, strong in spirit while the danger lasted, that 
energy was all used now, and of what took place Gwyn 
Pendarve knew no more. 


406 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


CHAPTER LI. 

IN THE LIGHT. 

“ Yes, what is it ? Who ’s there ? ” 

“ Oh, Gwyn, my boy, my boy ! ” came loudly ; and 
two soft arms raised him from his pillow to hold him to 
a throbbing breast, while passionate lips pressed kisses on 
his face. 

“Mother! You? What’s the matter? Ah, I re- 
member! You there, father? Where’s Joe? Where’s 
Sam Hardock?” 

“Joe Jolli vet’s in the next room, sleeping soupdly; 
Sam Hardock ’s at Harry V ores’s cottage getting right 
fast.” 

“ And Tom Dinass ? Where is he ? ” cried Gwyn. 

“ Dinass ? Great heavens ! Is he somewhere in the 
mine ? ” 

“No,” said Gwyn, frowning. “I only want to know 
where he is.” 

“ Never mind about him,” said the colonel. “ I re- 
member now : he could not have been down the mine.” 

Gwyn nodded his head and became very thoughtful. 

“ There, you had better lie in bed to-day, and the 
effects of your terrible experience will pass off. We 
have suffered agonies since the alarm was given.” 

“ Did the men all escape ? ” 

“ Every man,” said the colonel ; “ but some of the last 


IN THE LIGHT. 


407 


up were nearly drowned, for the water had risen to their 
necks at the foot of the shaft when they reached the 
man-engine.” 

44 Grip came and told you where we were ? ” said 
Gwyn, after a pause. 

44 Yes; and led us to the opening up which he had 
come.” 

44 Where was it, father ? ” 

44 In the face of the cliff a mile away.” 

44 What, overlooking the sea ? ” 

44 Yes, my boy ; and the air was rushing out of it with 
tremendous force. It was a mere crack, and took a long 
time to open sufficiently for a man to pass in. But 
there, don’t talk about it ! We have passed through as 
terrible an experience nearly as you, and it has almost 
killed the major.” 

Gwyn passed the greater part of the next twenty-four 
hours in sleep, and then woke up and was very little, the 
worse. He got up and went to Joe, who snatched at 
his hand and then nearly broke down ; but, mastering 
his emotion, he too insisted upon getting up ; and soon 
after the two lads went on to the major’s, where the old 
officer was lying back in an .easy-chair. 

44 Ha ! ” he cried, as he grasped the boys’ hands ; 44 now 
I shall be able to get better. This has nearly killed 
me, Joe, my boy, but I ’ve been coming round ever since 
they found you.” 

44 Tell us how it all was, father,” said Joe, as he sat 
holding the major’s hand in his. 44 Colonel Pendarve 
always put me off when I asked him, and told me to 
wait.” 

44 1 ’m ready to do the same, my boy, for it has been 


408 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


very horrible. But, thank heaven, only one life has been 
lost.” 

“ Has one man been drowned ? ” cried Gwyn excitedly. 
“ I thought every one was saved.” 

“ The man is missing, Gwyn, — that man Dinass. 
They say he was hanging about that day, but he has not 
been seen since, and I ’m afraid he went down the mine 
unnoticed. Oh, dear, I wish we had never engaged in 
this wild scheme ; but it is too late to repent, and the 
poor fellow will never be found.” 

“Not when the mine is pumped out again, father?” 
said Joe. 

“Pumped out? That will never be, my boy. The 
water must have broken into one of the workings which 
ran beneath the sea, aiid unless the breach could be found 
and stopped, it would be impossible. 

“ Don’t leave me for very long,” said the major, after 
they had sat with him some time, “ but go for a bit ; it 
will do you good.” 

They had neither of them alluded to Sam Hardock’s 
charge, and they spoke little when they went out ; but, 
apparently quite of one mind, they went straight to the 
mine, where the engineer w^s busy cleaning portions of 
the machinery, but ready enough to leave off and talk 
to them. 

“Want to get my engines in good order, sir, so that 
they ’ll sell well, for they ’ll never be wanted again. 
Nay, sir, that mine ’ll never be pumped out any more. 
Sea ’s broke in somewhere beyond low-water mark. It ’s 
all over now.” 

“Do you think Tom Dinass had gone below?” said 
Gwyn. 


IN THE LIGHT. 


409 


“Yes, poor fellow! He’s a man I never liked, but 
there, he never liked me ! No one saw him go down, 
hut he ’s never been seen since.” 

They left the silent mine, only so short a time back a 
complete hive of industry, and went on to Harry V ores’s 
cottage, where the owner was busy gardening and Sam 
Hardock was seated in the doorway sunning himself, 
but ready to try and rise on seeing the two lads, but 
sank back with a groan. 

“ How are you, gentlemen ? How are you ? ” he cried 
cheerily. “ Very glad to see you both about. I can’t 
manage it yet. W ater ’s got in my legs, but the sun ’s 
drying it out, and as soon as I can walk I ’m going to set 
about that bit o’ business. You know.” 

“There, drop it, Sam, old man,” said Vores, who had 
left his gardening to come up and shake hands. 
“ Glad to see you, gentlemen. Been down by the mine ? 
Looks sad, don’t it, not to have the smoke rising and 
the stamps rattling?” 

“ Don’t you interrupt,” said Hardock ; “ I want to talk 
to the young masters about him. Have you told the 
guv’nors what I said about Tom Dinass ? ” 

“Course they haven’t,” said Vores. “He’s got a 
crotchet in his head, gentlemen, that poor Tom Dinass 
made a hole and let in the sea-water.” 

“ Crotchet ? Ah, I know, and so do they. I say he 
did it out o’ spite.” 

“ How? ” said Vores, with a grim smile at the visitors. 

“ I don’t say how,” replied Hardock ; “ but if we knew 
we should find he sunk dinnymite somewhere and fired 
it over one of the old workings.” 

“ Struck a match and held it under water, eh ? ” 


410 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


“Don’t you talk about what you don’t understand,” said 
Hardock sternly. “ You ask the young gentlemen here 
if shots can’t be fired under water with electric shocks, 
or pulling a wire that will break bottles of acid and 
some kinds of salts.” 

“Well, if Tom Dinass did that,” said Yores sharply, 
“ I hope he blew himself up as well, but it ’s all a crank of 
yours, old man. Tom Dinass never did that, so let the 
poor fellow alone, where he lies somewhere at the 
bottom of the mine.” 

“ Ah, you ’ll see,” said Hardock. “ You give my 
dooty to your fathers, young gentlemen, and tell them 
I ’d be glad to see them if they ’d look in on me. I ’d 
come up to them, as in dooty bound, but my legs won’t 
go. I s’pose it’s rheumatiz. I want to hear what 
they ’ll say.” 

“ Do you think the mine can be pumped out dry again, 
Sam ? ” said Gwyn suddenly, “ so as to get to work once 
more ? ” 

“ Do I think I could dive down among the breakers 
with a ginger-beer cork and a bit o’ wire, and stop up 
the hole? No, I don’t, sir. That mine, the richest 
nearly in all Cornwall, ’s dead, and killed by one man 
out o’ spite.” 

Yores caught Gwyn’s eye, gave him a peculiar look, 
and tapped his forehead ; but Hardock caught the 
movement. 

“Oh, no, I arn’t, Harry Yores. I’m no more mad 
than you are, but I won’t quarrel, for you and your 
wife have been very good to me, and you did a brave 
thing when you came down that hole and got us 
out.” 


IN THE LIGHT. 


411 


“ Yah ! ” cried Yores. “ Such stuff ! Why, any one 
would have done it! You would for me. There, I 
don’t mean you ’re mad, only that you ’ve got that crook 
in your mind about Tom Dinass. Well, it’s a blessing 
the poor fellow had neither wife nor child to break their 
hearts about him.” 


412 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


CHAPTER LIE 

THE GENERAL WIND-UP. 

The days wore on, and the colonel and major shook 
their heads at Sam Hardock when he made his accu- 
sation as to the cause of the catastrophe ; and the 
captain went about afterward in an aggrieved way, for 
he could get no one to believe in his ideas. The colonel 
and his partner took the advice of an expert, and in a 
short time it was announced that no effort would be 
made to pump the mine dry, a few hours’ pumping by 
way of test proving that the water would not be low- 
ered an inch. 

The work-people were all liberally paid off and began 
to disperse, finding work at different mines, and after 
several consultations, the colonel and his old brother- 
officer being quite of the same mind, an interview was 
held with a well-known auctioneer, and the whole of 
the machinery was announced for sale. 

Just about this time, without saying anything at 
home, Gwyn and Joe, who had passed a good deal of 
time beneath the cliffs at low water, to try and find any- 
thing suggestive of an attempt being made to destroy 
the mine by an explosive, — finding nothing, however, 
but a few places where the rocks had been chipped down 
by the point, — determined to examine, by the help of 
Yores, the spot from which they had escaped. 


THE GENERAL WIND-UP. 


413 


The latter being consulted expressed Ins willingness 
to go, and Sam Hardock was asked to accompany them, 
but he shook his head. 

“ No,” he said, “ my legs are all right again, hut there 
arn’t nothing to be got by it, and I should advise you 
all not to go.” 

But another actor in the late adventures expressed his 
willingness to be of the party, and tore off at full speed 
one morning when, well provided with candles, matches, 
and magnesium wire, they started off, following the edge 
of the cliff till, about a mile west of the mine, Grip 
seemed to take a plunge into the sea and disappear. 

“Knows his way again,” said Yores, laughing; and 
upon the spot being reached, where the dog had dis- 
appeared, a way down for some forty or fifty feet was 
found, close by which a narrow opening, with the debris 
lying about as the pieces had been clipped, met the eye. 

On approaching this Grip made his appearance, bark- 
ing loudly, and then turned and went, in again. 

“ Will you go first, sir?” said Vores ; and Gwyn led, 
candles being lit as soon as they were a little way in. 

They followed the descent, for the most part on all- 
fours, and lastly by creeping and pushing the lanterns 
on in front, till at last the long, low, sloping cavern was 
reached where so terrible a time had been passed. 

The floor was littered with broken stones, the result of 
the shot that was fired, and for a few moments Gwyn 
knelt there listening, expecting to hear the hiss and 
roar of the wind dislodged by the pressure of the water, 
but the only sound heard was the rustling and panting 
of those who were following ; and as soon as J oe was 
out they went together to the descent into the mine. 


414 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


Here there was no way down farther than about 
twenty feet; then the water lay calm, smooth, and 
black. 

“ It was higher than this when we were here, J oe,” 
exclaimed Gwyn. 

“ Yes, right over the floor.” 

“ Pressed up by the confined air, perhaps, gentlemen,” 
said V ores ; and with this explanation they had to be 
content. 

“But about how high above the sea are we here, 
Yores?” said Gwyn. 

“No height at all, sir. According to my calculation 
as we came down, we came to about sea level, and the 
mine must be full. 

They returned, briilging a few crystals as mementoes 
of their adventure, and that evening, when the major was 
at the cove house, Gwyn was about to bring them out 
and relate where they had been that day, when the 
servant announced the coming of two visitors, and 
Messrs. Wix and Brownson, the solicitors, who seemed 
now to be on the most friendly terms, were shown in. 

Their visit was soon explained. They had seen the 
announcement, they said, of the sale, and they thought 
it would be a pity to remove all the machinery, as it was 
in position for carrying out the working of the mine. 
Finally, they were there for the purpose of making the 
colonel a liberal offer for the estate, house, mine, ma- 
chinery, everything, as it stood. 

Mr. Wix was the chief speaker, and when he had 
finished and stood smilingly expectant that the colonel 
would jump at the offer, he was somewhat taken aback 
by the reply. 


THE GENERAL WIND-UP. 


415 • 


“ But I do not want to sell my estate. This has been 
my home, sir, for years.” 

“ But as you wish to sell the machinery, my dear sir,” 
said Mr. Wix, “ surely you would not mind parting with 
the mine now ? ” 

“ Indeed, but I should,” said the colonel. 

“ Then you will try and clear it, and commence work 
again ? ” 

“Never, sir,” said the colonel emphatically. 

“ Surely then you would not hinder others from ad- 
venturing upon what may prove equal failure, but who 
are still willing to try ? ” 

“ Indeed, but I would, sir,” said the colonel. “ The 
machinery will be sold for what it will fetch, and then I 
shall return to my old, calm, peaceful life.” 

“ But, my dear sir,” began Mr. Brownson. 

“ Pray do not argue the matter, sir,” said the colonel; 
and at last the two solicitors went disappointed away. 
But in the three weeks which elapsed before the sale 
four more applications were made, still without result, 
and then came the sale, — months of work, — and at last 
the whole of the appliances of the mine that could be 
got at were swept away. 

It was about three months later that, one evening, the 
major sat at a round table over which Colonel Pendarve 
presided, with divers books before him and a carefully 
drawn-up balance sheet which he proceeded to read, 
Mrs. Pendarve, Gwyn, and Joe Jollivet being the other 
listeners. It was full of details, vouchers for all of 
which were in the books. 

Major Jollivet stopped him. 

“Look here, Pendarve,” he said; “the “weather is 


416 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


going to change, or I have one of my fever fits coming 
on, so I don’t want to be bothered. Look here, I joined 
yon in this speculation and it has turned out unfortunate. 
I trust you in eveiy way, and I know that everything 
you have done is for the best. So just tell me in plain 
figures what is the amount of the deficit, and I will draw 
you a check for one-half. If it’s too big a pull, Joe, 
you will have to go to work and I into a smaller house. 
Now, then, please let me know the worst.” 

“ Glad you take it so well,” said the colonel, frowning 
and coughing to clear his voice, while Mrs. Pendarve 
looked very anxious and the lads exchanged glances. 

“ Ahem ! ” coughed the colonel again. “ W ell, sir, in 
spite of the very favorable returns made by the mine, our 
expenses in commencing, for machinery, and the months 
of barren preparation, we are only” — 

“Will you tell me the worst?” cried the major 
angrily. 

“ I will,” said the colonel ; “ the worst is that after all 
we have paid and received, we now have standing in the 
bank the sum of twelve hundred pounds odd, which 
being divided by two means just over six hundred 
pounds apiece.” 

“ Loss ? ” cried the major. 

“ Gain,” said the colonel. “We worked the mine for 
the hoys, so that money will just do for their preparation 
for the army, for they ’re fitter for soldiers than miners, 
after all.” 

The major had risen to his feet, and stood with his 
lips trembling. 

“ Am I dreaming ? ” he said. 

“ No, my dear old friend; very wide awake.” 


THE GENERAL WIND-UP. 


417 


“ Then I have not lost ? ” 

“No; gained enough to pay well for Joe’s education, 
and I stand just the same. Now, boys, a good training 
with an army coach, and then Sandhurst. What do you 
say?” 

“ Hurrah ! ” cried the hoys in a breath ; and when they 
repeated it their fathers joined in. 

About a month later Grip was loose in the garden, 
and seeing some one approach, Gwyn rushed at the dog, 
seized him by the collar, and chained him up before 
turning back to meet — Tom Dinass, who was coming 
up to the honse. 

“ You here — alive ? ” cried Gwyn. 

“ Seems like it, sir,” said the man, grinning. “ That 
there dorg ’s as nasty and savage as ever. Guv’nor in ? ” 

“Yes, I’m here, sir,” said the colonel, who had seen 
the man approach. “ Then you were not drowned in 
the mine ? ” 

“ Oh, no, I was n’t drowned in the mine.” 

“Well, what is your business? ” 

“ Would you mind taking me in where we shan’t be 
heard?” 

“ No, sir ; you can speak out here. I don’t suppose 
you have anything to say that my son may n’t hear.” 

“ Oh, very well, then, sir, it ’s this here. Old Wix — 
Loyer Wix — sent me here ever so long ago to spy out 
and report on your mine, and I did; and both Wix and 
Loyer Brownson, as they ’re partners now, finding it a 
likely spec, wanted, to buy it, but you would n’t sell, and 
worked it yourself.” 

“ Well, sir, what of that ? ” 

“ Oh, only that they were disappointed, and they be- 


418 ‘ 


BENEATH THE SEA . 


came friends after, and sent me here to get took on and 
report everything.” 

“ Ah, I see,” said the colonel quietly ; “ a spy in the 
camp.” 

“Yes, sir,” said the man, grinning. 

“ And you reported everything to them ? ” 

“Yes, sir, o’ course ; they paid me to, and of course I 
did.” 

“ And took our money too ! ” said Gwyn indignantly. 

“ Oh, but I worked for that, Mr. Gwyn, sir, and 
worked hard.” 

“ Exactly,” said the colonel, smiling ; and, seeing that 
it was apparently taken as a good joke, Dinass grinned 
widely. 

“ Then they got more and more disappointed as they 
found out what a prize they’d let slip through their 
fingers ; and at last got so wild that when I went to 
report 'em one Sunday, they asked me if I could n’t do 
something to spoil your game.” 

“ On a Sunday, eh ! ” said the colonel. 

“ Oh, yes, it was on a Sunday, sir ; so I said I ’d try 
and think it out ; and at last I did, and went and told 
’em I thought I could let the water in and spoil the 
mine, and then they’d be able to buy it cheap.” 

“ And what did they say ? ” 

“ Oh, they both coughed and rubbed their hands, and 
said it would be too shocking a thing to do, and that T 
should be bringing myself under the law, and all on in 
that way, pretending-like to make me feel that they did n’t 
want me to do it, but egging me on all the time.” 

“Ah, I see,” said the colonel, while Gwyn’s teeth 
gritted together with rage. 


THE GENERAL WIND-UP. 


419 


44 I was n’t going to shilly-shally, so I ast ’em down- 
right if I should do it, and 4 Oh, dear, no,’ says they, 
they couldn’t think of such a thing; and little Wix 
says, ‘ Of course as we promised if we had succeeded in 
buying the mine for our company through your reports, 
we should have given you the situation of captain of 
the mine and a hundred pounds, but we could n’t think 
of encouraging such criminal ideas as those you ’mul- 
gated. Let me see,’ he says, 4 it was to be a hundred 
pounds, was n’t it ? ’ 

“ 4 Yes,’ I says, 4 it was.’ 

44 4 Exactly,’ he says, 4 but we have n’t got the mine, so 
we wish you good morning,’ which was like renewing 
the offer in an underhanded way. So I came back and 
did it.” 

44 How ? ” burst in Gwyn. 

44 Easy enough, sir. Found out where the highest 
gallery ran, stuck a big tin o’ stuff over it, and set it off 
with a wire and a little ’lectric machine off the rocks. 
I knowed everybody would soon get out.” 

44 Oh ! ” ejaculated Gwyn. 

44 Be quiet, my boy. Very clever and ingenious, Mr. 
Dinass ; and we thought you were drowned.” 

44 Me, sir ? No, I knew a trick. worth two of that.” 

44 But may I ask why you have come to me now after 
ruining our property ? ” 

44 Why, because they ’ve chucked me over, sir. They 
says I insult them by thinking they would ever do such 
a thing. That was when I went and asked ’em for my 
money. Last thing was when I told ’em it was their 
doing and they set me at it ; they said I was trying to 
blackmail ’em, that they never thought I meant such 


420 


BENEATH THE SEA. 


a thing, and that if I was n’t off they ’d hand me over 
to the police.” 

44 Exactly. Like them,” said the colonel. 

44 Yes, sir, jnst like ’em. I call it mean, and I told 
’em so, and that if they threatened me I ’d speak out 
and let people know the truth. And I says at last, 

1 1 give you a month to think over it, and if you don’t 
give me my hundred pounds then I shall blow the whole 
business, and how do you like that ? ’ ” 

44 And what did Mr. Wix say ? ” 

“ 4 Brownson,’ he says, 4 send for a policeman at 
once.’ ” 

“Yes, just what he would say,” said the colonel, 
while Gwyn wished fervently he had not tied up Grip. 

44 Yes, sir, that’s what he said, but I give ’em time, 
and I ’ve been again and again, and last time they let me 
see that all the blame should he on me and none on them, 
for no one would believe that loyers like them could do 
wrong, while every one would think had of me. Last 
of all they ordered me off, and after thinking it over a 
hit I ’ve come to you, sir.” 

44 What for ? ” said the colonel. 

44 Why, for you to go to law with them for spoiling 
your mine. You ’ve pnly got to start it, and I ’ll come 
and swear to it all, and you can get them transported. 
Don’t you be afraid, sir ; I ’ll come and speak out, and 
then ” — 

44 1 ’m to give you a hundred pounds, I suppose ? ” 

44 Well, sir,” said the man, grinning, 44 1 must have it 
out o’ some one. But don’t you he afraid, I 'll bring it 
home to ’em sharp. Now what do you say?” 

44 This,” cried the colonel ; 44 1 ’m too old and my son 


THE GENERAL WIND-UP. 


421 


is too young, to horsewhip such a scoundrel as you are. 
Be off my premises at once, sir, and if you dare to come 
here again, old as I am, or young as he is, we ’ll try.” 

44 What ? ” cried Dinass, in a bullying tone. 

44 Grwyn, my boy,” said the colonel calmly, “ go and 
unloose Grip.” 

The words acted like magic, and they never saw Tom 
Dinass again, for the colonel, in consultation with his old 
partner and friend, decided that nothing was to be gained 
by a prosecution. The mining was over and they were 
as happy without it, and life was not long enough to 
punish scoundrels who had already lost in their nefarious 
game. 

44 But, oh ! ” said Gwyn, 44 1 wish he had stopped till I 
had let Grip loose.” 


THE END. 




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